PENDLETON — The Pendleton School District has made its selection for a new boss.

The district board of directors on Tuesday, March 11, in a press release announced it has offered a contract to Michelle Jensen, of West Linn. She is a primary school principal in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District and has worked in the position since 2019.

Jensen worked in the Hermiston School District as a counselor from 2005 to 2014, then as coordinator of strategic initiatives 2014-16 and as a principal in the Hillsboro Oregon School District 2016-19.

Eleven individuals applied for the position, and the board on March 10 interviewed Jensen and Kevin Dinning, the school district’s Human Resources director, for the position. Jensen assumes the duties of superintendent beginning July 1.

Douglas Nelson and Heidi Sipe, superintendent of the Umatilla School District, with McPherson & Jacobson LLC served as consultants in the search process. Sipe will continue working with the Pendleton School Board and Jensen in helping establish performance objectives for her.