Former Nestucca Valley Superintendent Will Focus on Expanding Career, College and Workforce Development Opportunities for Rural Students
Misty Wharton, who has served as superintendent of the Nestucca Valley School District for the past nine years, will join Northwest Regional Education Service District as the interim special projects administrator starting on Friday, Sept. 12.
In this new role, Misty will provide support to our new Office of School Performance and Workforce Development as it seeks to expand career, college and workforce programs for our region’s students, with a top goal of increasing access for students in rural schools. Students in these regions often have fewer pathways than their urban and suburban peers and the ESD is aiming to close that gap, which drew Misty to this role.
“Helping rural students discover classes and experiences that will excite them is what gets me out of bed in the morning,” Misty says. “I can’t wait to collaborate with educators and districts across our region to help build programs that open doors and inspire students.”
Misty brings 24 years of experience in teaching and leadership. She has served as Nestucca Valley superintendent since 2016. Prior to that, she served as an elementary and middle school principal and the director of federal programs, English language development and the talented and gifted program. She began her career in the district and worked as a middle and high school teacher, a substitute teacher and instructional assistant.
A skilled administrator and partnership builder with extensive grants management and school finance experience, Misty has:
- Secured $65 million in bond and capital improvement funding that rebuilt the district’s K-8 school, established a new career technical education lab and refurbished sporting events fields and amenities on the campus. The school received the Daily Journal Commerce Award for top project of the year in 2022 and was selected among nearly 300 applicants.
- Been awarded $14 million in grants to invest in enrichment activities for students and the community.
- Served as president of the executive board of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) and as a member of the equity board of the Oregon Coalition of School Administrators (COSA)
- Chaired the Oregon School Administrators Association budget committee.
- Been elected to serve on the board of directors of the National Federation of High School Sports, representing 11 states.
- Recently been confirmed by Gov. Tina Kotek to serve on the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB)
“Misty Wharton is the kind of educator every community hopes for — optimistic, creative, and with an uncompromising commitment to students from all backgrounds,” says NWRESD Superintendent Dan Goldman. “At NWRESD, we work every day to make sure every student has access to high-quality, relevant learning opportunities. The biggest winners with Misty joining our team are the 100,000 kids across our four-county region.”
The type of work she will be leading makes a measurable difference for students. Students in these types of hands-on, career-connected classes are immersed in fields such as welding, health sciences, fishing and aquaculture, advanced manufacturing, forest science, engineering, agriculture, and culinary arts. Learning primarily occurs “in the field” or in hands-on spaces rather than in traditional classrooms. Students not only gain practical skills connected to career interests, but are also 20% more likely to earn their diploma.
In 2024, nearly 98% of students who earned at least two CTE credits graduated compared to 82% of students who hadn’t participated, according to data from the Oregon Department of Education.
Misty holds an administrator’s license and a master’s degree in teaching from George Fox University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in teaching at Portland State University. She was a member of the Oregon Women’s Superintendents’ and LGBTQ+ affinity groups run by the Oregon Coalition of School Administrators.