Breaking: LSSD Superintendent Ken Collins to Retire in June

The Lake Stevens School District leader announces an end date to a 34 year career of service to the Lake Stevens community

Dr. Ken Collins.

Lake Stevens superintendent to retire after 34 years of leadership

Lake Stevens School District Superintendent Ken Collins announced his retirement effective June 2024 yesterday, marking an end date to his 34 years of service to Lake Stevens schools.

Collins’ retirement will close a storied career that took the athlete and educator from Cashmere, WA to Washington State University…to the NFL’s New England Patriots… and back to Lake Stevens, where Collins excelled in numerous roles from football coach to civics teacher, principal, administrator and ultimately Superintendent. 

Board President Mari Taylor said Collins will be a tough act to follow. 

"Ken's retirement is a well-deserved celebration, yet it undoubtedly leaves a void in our district," Taylor said, crediting Collins’  “extraordinary leadership and advocacy” for students, employees and families. 

Collins received his Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Washington in 2018 and was sworn in as Superintendent following the retirement of Dr. Amy Beth Cook in 2021. 

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If Collins was hoping for a feet-on-the-desk, kick back experience at the helm, fate had other ideas. 

Collins deftly led the district through (and out of) the unprecedented COVID pandemic.

As if that wasn’t enough,