Egan hired as Lane ESD chief.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Debbie Egan, superintendent in the 270-student Lowell School District since 2004, will be the next superintendent for the Lane Education Service District, the ESD board announced Tuesday.

Egan, 51, was one of two finalists from an applicant pool of 24.

Board Chairwoman Sherry Duerst-Higgins said Egan's current Lane County connections gave her the edge over Sweet Home Superintendent Larry Horton, who was superintendent in Oakridge between 1996 and 2002.

"They both were excellent candidates," she said. "(Egan) just seemed to be a little bit better fit, living in Lane County and knowing what's going on and being familiar with a lot of the superintendents. She can take off running a little bit faster, I think. I think she's going to do a great job."

Egan, who was Lowell's director of special education for a year before taking the top post, has been an educator in Lane County since 1985. A graduate of Southern Illinois University and the University of Oregon, Egan started her teaching career at Westridge Middle School in Oakridge, and served as the school's principal and director of special education and the talented and gifted (TAG) program from 1987 until 1995.

For the next four years she was principal at Springfield's Mount Vernon Elementary School, and then became the district's director of programs, a job that encompassed special education, Title I and other federal programs.

Having worked extensively with Lane ESD over the years, Egan said she has great appreciation for the service it provides both rural and urban districts.

"I just feel very fortunate in being accepted as part of Lane ESD," said Egan, who lives in Pleasant Hill. "I really look forward to working with the Lane ESD staff, the superintendents and the (University of Oregon) and many other organizations that support kids."

Education service districts collaborate with school districts to provide specific services, such as special education, technology assistance, staff training and truancy coordination.

Egan, who will earn an annual salary of $110,000, replaces Ron Hitchcock, who resigned last year. Former Superintendent Mike Vermillion came out of retirement to fill in as interim superintendent this year.