Meadowdale High School Principal Dale Cote send a letter home to families Tuesday, May 1, announcing that he is leaving the school for an administrative job in the Lake Washington School District as of July 1. Cote, who has been Meadowdale’s principal for seven years, said he is taking the job “to grow and serve in a different capacity.” He added that the Edmonds School District will be posting a job description for the position.

Here is Cote’s letter to parents:

Dear parents, guardians, and Meadowdale community members,

I am completing my 7th year as principal here at Meadowdale High School.  This is my 11th year overall as a building administrator.  It is time for me to grow and serve in a different capacity.  I want to let you know that I have been selected to serve as the Director of School Support for the Juanita Learning Community in the Lake Washington School District beginning July 1, 2012.

I will be directly overseeing the schools in the Juanita region.  I will be mentoring principals in school leadership development, school improvement planning and implementation, evaluating principals, as well as assisting with operational, student and community issues.

This is heart wrenching for me because I truly love Meadowdale High School and the thought of leaving has been very difficult for me to process.  I know in my heart this is the right thing to do for my career and my family.  This has been a great experience for me and I am grateful for having the opportunity to serve you these past seven years.

Clearly we still have important work to accomplish together to finish out the school year for our students.

The Edmonds School District is currently posting the principal position for Meadowdale High School.  I have no doubt this district will work hard at selecting the very best person for this job.

Sincerely,

Dale Cote
Principal
Meadowdale High School