Three veteran Highline School Board members noted last week that the district's graduates seemed very focused on their futures during recent graduation ceremonies.

The three, who are all retiring from the board, made their comments at the June 26 board meeting.

Senior board member Tom Slattery, who has served for 16 years, said he wasn't using his "rose-colored glasses" in observing that student conduct at graduation ceremonies was excellent and students make good choices in what they wore under their graduation gowns.

"All the meetings and controversy are worth it when you see graduation and know you have made a difference in students' lives," Slattery declared.

President Matt Pina said he has "seen tremendous progress" in students. He added that graduates were talking about their plans for fall including college after the ceremonies.

"As a board member, sometimes you rest easy and sometimes you don't rest at all, " Pina observed. "My only regret about not running again is no more graduations."

Board member Phyllis Byers said graduation events for the three small learning communities on SeaTac's Tyee campus were "exceptionally fun."

The Academy of Citizenship & Empowerment, Global Connections High School and Odyssey-The Essential School held separate ceremonies for the first time.

Byers was first elected in 1999.

Board members continued to hear from speakers unhappy that Superintendent John Welch did not hire Evergreen High vice principal Jackie Lewis as a small schools principal.

Lewis led a group that planned the Technology, Engineering and Communications academy set to open on the Evergreen campus in September.

He applied to be its principal but Welch hired Eric Hong, who as a young immigrant attended English as Second Language classes in the Highline district.

Seattle employment attorney Moni Law said Lewis ranked first among the three candidates who applied for the position. Lewis met all published standards for the job but was told he did not have enough technology experience, she added.

Lewis is looking forward to his next assignment in which he wants to continue to work with high school students, according to Law.

Welch replied that he will announce Lewis' new position soon.

Lewis' pastor, Tom Colby, said Lewis is known as "Mr. Evergreen."

As a school board member for nine years, Colby said his hardest tasl was admitting when he made an error.

Welch revealed that Lewis met with board members in an executive session.

"I've hire someone else and I am not changing that position," Welch declared.

Board member Susan Goding added, "I support the superintendent 100 percent even though Jackie is a great guy."