Ames leaves ML schools a better place

MEDICAL LAKE – School District Superintendent Tim Ames will close the books on a 38-year career in education June 30 when he retires.

And like in Boy Scouts, where the goal is to leave the outdoors a better place than when entering, Ames said he is confident his nine-year run here has done just that.

It's much more, too, than the new sign outside district headquarters.

Ames has had a winding road in both life and his career.

It first followed his parents in the U.S. Air Force, then with the Bonneville Power Administration and later his own from elementary teacher to schools' boss in multiple places.

From the comforts of Mead and West Valley to the remoteness of Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation before coming to Medical Lake, Ames has seen plenty and takes many a memory into life's next chapter.

"I hit 62 and met with our fiscal guy and my wife was sitting there and she goes, 'If you can retire, you should retire,'" Ames said. His wife Kerri is the principal at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley.

"I'll have to trade some Cardinal colors for CV Bear colors," Ames said, noting he plans to help when needed as his wife eventually winds down her career.

With retirement, Ames plans include yard work, dog walking, some golf - and grandchildren duty.

"We have some grandbabies in Boise in San Antonio so we'll do some extended time down there," Ames said. "And we have a crew that lives in Spokane, and I've already got my 'Tuesday Girl' set up; her name's Olivia Quinn," with whom Ames will get to spend special one-on-one time.

It's, perhaps, somewhat ironic that Ames closes his working days just miles from Fairchild Air Force Base where his father was stationed in the 1950s. The Ames clan, like so many others who were stationed there, would later return to Spokane.

Ames, who was born in Bunker Hill, Indiana, recalled when his dad retired from the service, loaded up the 1960-something Chevy station wagon and brought seven kids back to Spokane.

"I went to Franklin Elementary School in sixth grade and continued to move," Ames said. Next stop was Wenatchee and then back to Spokane where Ames would graduate from Ferris High School.

It was then on to Washington State for his undergrad in education and then off on a career.

"I taught for 14 years in the Mead School District," Ames said, adding that was "Probably my favorite job."

Following his obtaining a masters at Eastern Washington University, then came a principal's job. "I basically knew every parent and every kid and would stand out and just greet them," Ames said.

Next came elevation to middle school principal and then his first superintendent's job in Wellpinit, a mere 35-mile one way commute that Google Maps says takes just over 60 minutes - in good weather.

But the job was well worth it for Ames, not just for the climb up the career ladder, but for the relationships he established.

"I struggled at first, but I found the right group to hang with, the elders," Ames said. As in Medical Lake, Ames spent nine years in Wellpinit, making that arduous commute most of the time, but lucky having a place to stay when the weather turned.

The Wellpinit job was not only unique in that he oversaw a tribal district, but in the duties.

"I just loved my time there," Ames said. "It's like being an outdoor education superintendent, because I got to be outdoors all the time."

Upon his departure, Ames was honored by the tribe in a very special way.

"I actually got an honorary native name given to me by the elders," Ames explained. While he said to not ask how it was spelled, Ames does know he's the "salmon Chief." "That was a very important chief because he'd tell everybody when the salmon would run," he said.

Within six months, Ames had another tribute, being named an honorary commander at Fairchild upon his hiring at Medical Lake.

As he closes his time in Medical Lake, there's much that Ames said of which he's proud.

There's the relationship with Fairchild Air Force Base, where much has been done to help ease the constant churn of families in deployments. The district has established liaison programs and built "Fairchild Rooms" in both the middle and high schools.

"A great accomplishment is we were the first Purple Star district in the state," he said.

Purple Star Schools support military-connected children as they relocate to new schools due to a parent's change in duty station.

But the bottom line for any school is turning out successful students.

At Medical Lake, the 10-year graduation rate is 98%, Ames said, adding, "We had 100% graduate on Saturday (June 10)."

Kim Headrick, who is a product of Medical Lake schools where her father and mother both had careers, will take over for Ames.

"I'm just glad to retire feeling good about the work," Ames said.