To the editor:

I was happy to read the news that Peter Bang-Knudsen was chosen as the next Bainbridge Island School District superintendent.

I’ve known Peter since 1978 when he first came to Bainbridge Island from the East Bay area. We were both in the fifth grade and became friends despite my eccentricities and insensitive remarks that have alienated a lot of people. He was always the history buff and a serious student.

Like a lot of Generation Xers who came of age in the 1980s, he had his eyes on making a lot of money, as did I. However, as we see, he learned the value of service and turned to education, and I was co-incidentally at his graduation ceremony at Seattle University when he received his master’s in education. I ran into him every now and then and followed his career with admiration.

The Bainbridge Island School District made an excellent decision. Peter will be a decisive and inclusive leader. He will handle crises well, and he will also understand the needs of all the students and not just the elite college bound.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the district develops under his leadership. Congratulations, Peter!

FRANK JACOBSON

Bainbridge Island