Bill Boyce to resign from Kent School Board

Published 11:26 am Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bill Boyce announced his resignation Wednesday night from the Kent School Board in order to focus on his Kent City Council position.

Boyce has served 18 years on the board. He is in his first year on the council. He announced his resignation at Wednesday’s board meeting.

Boyce said after winning election to the council last November that he would resign in 2012 from the school board. Boyce’s final board meeting will be June 13.

“I’ve been doing it since 1994 when I was appointed to the board,” said Boyce during a phone interview about his resignation. “I’ve always thought a good board member is someone who has kids in the district,” said Boyce, whose five children attended Kent schools with the youngest graduating last year from Kentwood High School in Covington. “I want to be able to focus 150 percent to the city like I did to the board. It’s time to move on and pass the baton to someone else.”

Boyce was reelected in 2009 to the board. His term expires at the end of 2013.

“It’s been really great,” said Boyce, a human resources analyst at Boeing. “I saw a lot of changes.”

Looking back over the years, Boyce said key decisions included the move of ninth graders to the high schools eight years ago and finding good leadership. The district hired Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas in the spring of 2009.

“We’ve hired good leaders,” said Boyce, who has lived in Kent since 1984. “With Dr. Vargas we’re in good shape. He’ll take us to the next level of academic standards.”

The district soon will open up applications to replace Boyce. Boyce said he expects his replacement to be chosen by the board in time to take over at the June 27 meeting.