By CLAYTON PARK

A year ago at this time, Marcia Boyd was preparing to begin the new school year as head teacher at Whitworth Elementary School in the Columbia City neighborhood in South Seattle.

This year, she is preparing for the new school year, which begins Sept. 7, as principal of John Rogers Elementary School in the Meadowbrook neighborhood of North Seattle's Greater Lake City area.

Becoming a principal for the first time is a challenge, but it's one that Boyd has had plenty of time to prepare for: 10 months worth.

That's because she got called by the School District two days before Halloween last year to fill in as interim principal at Rogers. The position became vacant, unexpectedly, when Rogers principal Elaine Woo was named director of the National Science Foundation Grant for Seattle Public Schools - a job that, in turn, became open when the previous director suddenly resigned.

"I was in a 'principal's pool' just waiting for a building to want me," recalls Boyd, who had earned her master's degree and principal's credentials in 1997.

Even though Boyd was serving as Rogers' interim principal, she still had to apply along with other candidates for the permanent job. Making the situation even more awkward for Boyd was the fact that Rogers' teaching staff was also involved in the interviewing of candidates, and weren't allowed to tell Boyd who they recommended until the School District's decision was announced in May.

When Boyd finally got the good news, she said "it was a wonderful feeling." To celebrate Boyd's appointment, the staff at Rogers threw her party, complete with cake, flowers and balloons.

"It's a great school to be a part of," says Boyd. "The parent and staff support here is marvelous and the dedication to education is excellent."

This year, Boyd looks forward to greeting 350 students. The K-5 school has 13 classrooms (two of each grade plus an additional 1st-2nd grade combination class), and a staff of 34.

"The biggest thing this school year for the whole district will be the new standards," says Boyd. "Every teacher and principal is charged with delivering on the dream that (the late Superintendent) John Stanford had of setting a high academic standard for every child ... it's tying all the pieces together and saying this is what we expect each child to do during that grade level."

Rogers will also begin the second year of its new inquiry-based math program, as will nearby Sacajawea Elementary, thanks to a $52,000 grant from Social Venture Partners. "Each classroom in the two schools will now have iMac computers with educational software," says Boyd.

She said the school needs volunteers from the community who can serve as tutors at the school, particularly in the subject of math. "I would like to have an afterschool homework center, but we need financial support form the community," she added. The school is already receiving support from St. John's Masonic Lodge on Capitol Hill, which has helped fund an accelerated reading problem at the school library.

Boyd is a native of Kent, who graduated from Kent Meridian High School (class of 1964) and Western Washington University (BA in education). She began her career as a sixth grade teacher at Whitworth in 1969, and has also taught kindergarten, fourth grade, and music and art. She lives in Rainier Beach with her family, which includes husband Michael, a research physicist at the University of Washington, and daughter Suzanne, a fine arts major at Pacific Lutheran University.

John Rogers Elementary is located at 4030 NE 109th. For more information, call the school at 366-7880.