Seattle Public Schools on Monday announced the appointment of Robert S. Boesche as the district’s interim Chief Financial Officer. The announcement was made by Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield, Seattle School Board Vice President Michael DeBell and Director Sherry Carr, who chairs the board’s Audit and Finance Committee.

Boesche, who started his job Monday, has served as an interim Chief Financial Officer for several Puget Sound school districts, including Edmonds, Shoreline, Vashon Island, Monroe and Kent. He also was employed as Chief Financial Officer for the Northshore School District from June 1989 until he retired in November 2001.

Boesche will fill the interim CFO role while the School Board conducts a national search for an individual to fill the role permanently. The board, which made the decision to separate the former Chief Finance and Operations Officer job into two distinct positions, will also be seeking a permanent Chief Operating Officer.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Boesche, who was jointly hired by the School Board and the Superintendent to address the critical issues facing the district,” DeBell said. “He is highly regarded by his professional colleagues as having the experience to ensure financial accountability while we search for a permanent CFO.”

“When the board led the search for an interim CFO, we sought someone who has demonstrated strong fiscal accountability, has experience in implementing robust financial controls and has experience and familiarity with Washington state law,” Carr said. “Mr. Boesche was the clear choice for the job, and we look forward to working with him.”

Added Superintendent Enfield: “Mr. Boesche will play a key role in our efforts to restore and maintain accountability for our financial practices. He has the respect of my colleagues from other school districts, and all of us at Seattle Public Schools welcome his assistance.”

Boesche, who holds a superintendent credential with an emphasis in school finance and operations from the University of Washington, is a former high school teacher who taught marketing and DECA classes at Inglemoor High School before being promoted to Director of Vocational Education and later to CFO in the Northshore School District.

“I am pleased to be joining Seattle Public Schools and look forward to working with members of the School Board, Dr. Enfield and the SPS staff to provide financial leadership during this critical juncture for the school district,” Boesche said. “My goal is to ensure sound financial stewardship so that our district can focus on its primary mission of providing a high quality education for all 47,000 students that we serve.”