JOYCE — After more than four decades in education, longtime Crescent School District Superintendent Dave Bingham has announced he will retire at the end of the school year, closing a 41-year career spent entirely in the same community.
A Port Angeles native, Bingham began working in the Crescent School District in 1984, expecting to stay only a few years. Instead, he went on to serve as a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent, overseeing generations of students in one of the region’s smallest and most close-knit school districts.
“One of the things that happened for me is that doors kept opening. Every superintendent I worked for previously found opportunities for me to grow professionally, and if it hadn’t been for their work, I would not be where I am today,” said Bingham.
Crescent serves about 220 students on its Joyce campus, from kindergarten through high school. Bingham says the K-12 structure creates strong community ties, but also requires flexibility and a hands-on leadership approach.
During his tenure, Bingham managed everything from budgets and transportation to winter weather closures—sometimes starting his day at 4 a.m. to determine whether school could safely be held. He also guided the district through major changes in education, including the arrival of email and classroom technology and the expansion of alternative learning programs serving families across Clallam, Jefferson, and neighboring counties.
“And that’s what’s so great about a small school. You know, there are places where people would never think of calling the superintendent. In my position, the superintendent is—you know—called. People drop by. My door is usually open, and I’m trying to be available. You know, it’s just down the end of the hall, just past the business office,” Bingham to Newsradio KONP.
Bingham says the decision to retire comes at a natural point, following health considerations last fall and long-term planning with his family. He and his wife plan to spend more time with their grandchildren and may pursue consulting work in the future.
The Crescent School Board has hired Northwest Leadership Associates to lead a nationwide search for the district’s next superintendent. A community input meeting is scheduled for February 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Crescent School library. The district hopes to name a successor by mid-May.