It’s official — the St. Helens School District has a new superintendent.

At its May 28 meeting, the school board approved a contract hiring Koreen Barreras-Brown as the district’s newest superintendent, effective July 1. Barreras-Brown will replace outgoing Acting Superintendent Karen Gray, who has served in the role since February.

Barreras-Brown previously served as the superintendent of the Colton School District from 2016-21. Most recently, Barreras-Brown was employed as the chief academic officer of the Reynolds School District until 2024.

She has additionally served as the president of the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators’ Equity Board, which provides counsel on COSA activities through the lens of equity, diversity and inclusion.

“I am honored to join the St. Helens community and look forward to working alongside students, staff, and families to create exceptional environments where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered,” Barreras-Brown said in a statement from the school district. “Together, we will continue to build inclusive, equitable and high-achieving schools for all.”

The new superintendent’s contract is for a three-year period beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2028. Barreras-Brown will be paid an annual salary of $185,000 for the first year of her contract. During each of the subsequent two years, she will receive a cost of living increase equal to the cost of living increase teachers in the district will receive.

The finalized salary is the top of the range of what the school board was willing to pay a new superintendent. Board member Trinity Monahan handled contract negotiations, he said, comparing wages from similarly sized school districts across the state.

“I think ultimately the contract that we came to a term with was commensurate to what Dr. Barreras-Brown brings, and that ultimately it is as low as I can get it,” Monahan said.

Barreras-Brown will also receive 20 days of paid vacation in addition to nine paid holidays, a $150 monthly technology stipend and a $300 monthly travel stipend for use of her personal vehicle.

The contract also stipulates that the superintendent will be evaluated by the board annually in an executive session, unless the superintendent requests the evaluation be done in public.

A new assistant superintendent

The St. Helens School District has also brought on Jeff Byrnes as its new assistant superintendent.

Byrnes is the former principal of Mountain Meadow Elementary in Buckley, Washington. He has also worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and professional development consultant in both Arizona and Washington.

The district first mentioned plans to hire an assistant superintendent in January with the release of its preliminary corrective action plan under former Acting Superintendent Steve Webb. Using funds freed up from the retirement of two Teaching and Learning administrators, the district was able to finance the position.

This new position will lead the Teaching and Learning department, which is focused on student instruction and will also provide support to the Student Services department, which oversees nearly every other function of the school district.