Mark Hottowe is the newest member of the Board of Directors for Educational Service District 112. Hottowe, who has held numerous education leadership positions throughout Southwest Washington, was sworn in by Superintendent Tim Merlino at the board’s regular monthly meeting on August 29.

Hottowe will represent Director District 2, which includes Castle Rock, Kelso (partial), Longview, Naselle-Grays River Valley, Ocean Beach, Toutle Lake, and Wahkiakum school districts. He succeeds Rainer Houser who resigned after moving to Oregon.

“I am honored to be selected to serve on the ESD 112 board,” said Hottowe. “I am very familiar with ESD 112’s work and the important role they play in the success of the 100,000-plus students served in Southwest Washington,” he added. Hottowe said he’s looking forward to fully engaging with the other longtime board members and becoming even more familiar with ESD leadership, programs and services.

According to Ann Campbell, President of the ESD 112 Board, Hottowe will be able to hit the ground running. “He has such a deep understanding of education and the challenges and needs of local schools,” said Campbell. “We are very fortunate to have him serving alongside us,” she added.

As a 40-year veteran of education, Hottowe began his career in 1976 teaching Native American students in Neah Bay, Washington. He then moved on to become an assistant middle school principal in the Sumner School District. After receiving his Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Central Washington University, he served as a middle and elementary school principal in Longview, followed by district administrative roles in the Kelso School District for several years. He received his superintendent’s credential from Washington State University and was hired by the Ocean Beach School District as superintendent in 2011. He finished his career as superintendent of the Battle Ground School District in 2017.

Among other student initiatives, Hottowe is passionate about the importance of providing social/emotional supports to students to help them succeed academically.

The Director District #2 position appointment expires in January 2022, but because there is board election this fall, Hottowe is required to run for election to fulfill the remaining two years of his term, through 2022.