Madison Middle School‘s interim principal will become its permanent principal. Seattle Public Schools superintendent Ben Shuldiner made that announcement today, as published on the Madison website:

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Scott Pierce has been selected as the new principal for Madison Middle School.

Since October, Dr. Pierce has been serving as the interim principal at Madison. In this time, he has worked to build strong relationships and effectively lead and support the range of programs at Madison. Prior to this experience, Dr. Pierce served as assistant principal at Rainier Beach High School. Dr. Pierce has extensive experience as a Principal and Curriculum and Professional Development Specialist with the Tulare County Office of Education in California. Across these roles, he has led curriculum development, supported teacher growth, managed budgets and school operations, and implemented data-driven, equity-centered instructional practices. Together, his education and professional experiences demonstrate a sustained dedication to literacy, instructional leadership, and systemic school improvement.

Dr. Pierce earned his Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California (2019), where his dissertation evaluated the impact of quality literacy instruction in juvenile court schools, reflecting his commitment to advancing equitable outcomes for underserved student populations. He also earned a Master of Arts in Reading with Distinction from California State University, Fresno (2013), focusing on strategies to close the achievement gap for struggling adolescent learners, and a Bachelor of Arts in English (Literature) from Sonoma State University (2002).

Dr. Pierce is committed to building on the strengths of the Madison community and is looking forward to working with Madison students, staff, families and community members to make a difference for each student, every day. Dr. Pierce will continue in his current leadership role the remainder of this school year with his official start date as the permanent principal beginning on July 1, 2026.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Pierce to the Madison Middle School community.

The announcement did not mention Madison’s previous principal Dr. Robert Gary Jr., who had led the school for 12 years when he departed on what was announced as “health leave” six months ago.