Loibl Steps Down From Wv Board

The well-being of children is Karen Loibl’s passion.

From ensuring safe playground slides to protecting the educational rights of students, Loibl has spent 14 years as an official watchdog for kids.

On Wednesday, the president of the West Valley School Board stepped down. She’s moving to the Tri-Cities to take a new job. But, Loibl said her heart will remain in the Spokane Valley.

“I will come back,” she told a crowd of teachers and friends at the district’s conference center between sniffles. “You are my family.”

Loibl will soon leave the Valley after 20 years to take a corporate position with Kinkos in Kennewick.

She has served on the West Valley school board since 1985 and has been an active leader in the Washington State School Directors Association.

Most recently, Loibl led the tight-knit school board, which hasn’t lost a member in 12 years.

So, her West Valley family sent Loibl off in style.

Described as a woman of character, leadership and valued contributions, Loibl received piles of presents including notes of appreciation, flowers and poems written in her honor.

Then, her friends and fellow board members brought her to tears with their special thoughts.

Pete Schweda admired Loibl’s perception on issues. Norma Ventris clings to their moments spent as friends. Jim Williams was speechless. Bill Zimmer honored Loibl with a poem.

And superintendent Dave Smith summed up the group’s emotion.

“Fourteen years, that’s a lot of hours, a lot of time, spent looking after the kids,” he said. “You will always be out looking after kids.”