Harbor School begins school year under new leadership

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Vashon’s Harbor School will soon welcome students back to school under the leadership of a new head of school, Dr. Tyler Shelden, who brings a wealth of international experiences in education to his work on Vashon.

Shelden was hired in a search process conducted by the board of Harbor School last year, after former Head of School Teri Rutledge announced she would depart Harbor School for another position at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Shelden began his work on Vashon on July 1.

For Shelden, 42, his new job marks a return to the United States after more than a decade and a half of working internationally in public and private schools that offer U.S. curriculum.

Most recently, he was the director of teaching and learning at the American School of Asuncion, in Paraguay. Prior to that, he was the dean of students at the International Community School of Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, an instructor of math and robotics in Cairo’s Modern English School, and a curriculum facilitator and a math instructor in Beijing’s Tsinghau International School.

Earlier in his career, he also taught in Colombia and Japan.

Shelden holds multiple degrees in education, included a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, masters degrees from Portland State University and Tsinghua University in China, and a doctorate earned in 2021 from the University of Massachusetts.

Megan Folkestad, board chair of the Harbor School, said Shelden will bring an “an inspiring blend of visionary leadership, global experience, and deep commitment to student-centered learning” to his role at the Harbor School.

“His values align seamlessly with our own — accountability, compassion, and integrity — and his inclusive leadership style is exactly what we were looking for in a new head of school,” Folkestad added.

Joleen McCauley, a longtime and beloved island educator who now works as the assistant head of Harbor School, also spoke highly of Shelden, saying she was eager to work with him.

“He is a very kind and collaborative person,” McCauley said. “I’m excited for our students and staff to get to know him and I look forward to seeing all the things he will bring to our community.”

The Harbor School, serving grades K-8, was established in 1995 and currently has an enrollment of approximately 90 students spread out on two campuses. Kindergarten through 3rd grade classrooms are located at the Vashon Presbyterian Church, while grades 4-8 attend school at Harbor School’s campus situated at 15920 Vashon Hwy SW. The school’s staff numbers approximately 20 people.

Shelden’s appointment comes as the Harbor School continues on a path toward full accreditation as an International Baccalaureate (IB) School for both primary and middle school grades — a years-long process initiated by Rutledge and Harbor School’s board in 2023.

The prestigious IB program, emphasizing creativity and critical thinking, inquiry-based learning and global-mindedness in students, is offered in approximately 150 different countries, and a smaller number of schools in the Vashon’s geographic area. Offerings of IB education for primary grades are particularly limited — in King County, only St. Luke School, in Shoreline, is currently designated as an IB school for this age group.

Language learning is also emphasized in IB schools — another strong fit for the Harbor School, which offers Spanish-language classes for all grade levels. Language learning has also marked Shelden’s personal and professional life abroad. His resume lists strong proficiency in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese as well as some skills in Japanese, Arabic and French.

In an interview, Shelden said that both personal and professional considerations had driven his return to the United States, and particularly, to the Pacific Northwest.

While working in China, he said, he had met and married his wife, a Beijinger. The couple now have two small children, ages 1 and 3, and the couple’s move to the Pacific Northwest means that the children will grow up near Shelden’s parents, who are Oregonians.

But there was another professional reason he had sought the job, he explained.

“I kept telling myself that I didn’t want to come back to the States until I felt I had the skills and experiences and capacity to really give back,” he said. “I feel I’m at that point now, and I feel that this community is also at that same kind of nexus. We were really intentional about choosing this location specifically for the growth trajectory the Harbor School is on, and the community of Vashon Island.”

Shelden has marveled at what he had already learned about islanders in his newly adopted community.

“Everybody here has really interesting backgrounds,” he said. “The more people I talk to, the more I realize — ‘what a collection, what a community.’ And people here want to give back to the community to make it stronger — and that’s a powerful community to be in.”

He also said he looks forward to sharing his lived experiences and knowledge about the wider world with Harbor School students.

“This experience gives me an opportunity to help them broaden their horizons, because if they talk about something, I’ve probably heard about it or seen it firsthand. And I can point them in a direction — by not being limited by any borders or mindset — to help them expand their own horizons,” he said.

The Harbor School is currently offering a scholarship that covers 75% of tuition for the 2025-26 school year, as well as other significant financial aid for qualifying students. Full tuition costs vary depending on grade level.

For more information, visit harborschool.org or email office@harborschool.org.