>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Glaze, who grew up in Eugene, has deep La Grande roots. He and his wife, Patty, have had a home in La Grande since 1986.

He started his pursuit of an education career here in the early 1970s, earning an education degree from EOU in 1974. Glaze worked in the La Grande School District from 1986 to 2000, serving as the principal of Central, Willow and Riveria elementary schools. Willow and Riveria have since been closed by the district because of financial problems.

Glaze’s selection caps an approximately four-month search for a superintendent. The school board had originally hoped to have a new superintendent named in mid-April. However, its top choice, Rick Molitor of Central Washington, pulled out to take a position as superintendent of the Madras-based Jefferson County School District.

The La Grande School Board then reopened its search and again began accepting applications. Glaze is one of eight people in the second pool of applicants. He did not apply the first time. The school district received a total of 20 applications during its search.

The hiring of Glaze, which became official this morning, caps a whirlwind four-day period for the La Grande School District. It started Friday morning when interim superintendent Irv Nikolai was arrested in his office on a Washington County warrant alleging four counts of first-degree sex abuse. Nikolai, who was lodged in the Union County Correctional Facility, resigned hours later.

Nikolai had been La Grande’s interim superintendent since July and was scheduled to step down at the end of June. Gary Howland, the district’s plant operations director, will serve as La Grande’s acting superintendent until Glaze takes over.

Howland has been with the La Grande district since 1978. He first served as an industrial arts teacher at

La Grande Middle School for seven years, then was the LMS vice principal for 13 years and principal of Riveria Elementary School for 1 1/2 years. Howland has been plant operations director since 2000.

Glaze has been an educator since 1975 and a school district superintendent since 2000. He was superintendent of the Imbler School District from 2000 to 2003 and led the Gervais School District, based 15 miles northeast of Salem, from 2003 to 2007. He has served as Elgin’s superintendent since July 1.

Glaze began his education career in 1975 in the Union School District, where he taught health and physical education for three years. He then taught in the Vale School District for two years. Glaze next served as a junior high principal in the Neahkanie School District in Tillamook County for three years then began a first stint in the Elgin School District, serving as principal of its Stella Mayfield School from 1983 to 1986.

Glaze earned a master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1976. He later earned his administrative credentials from the University of Oregon.

Glaze’s efforts as an educator have not gone unrecognized. He has a number of awards to his credit. In 2007 the University of Oregon’s College of Education named Glaze as its outstanding 2007 alumnus.