Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson received an “Award of Merit” from the North Central Washington Educational Service District for his administrative leadership.

Each year the various educational service districts in the state select a key administrator to honor for outstanding contribution to education in their area.

Making the presentation May 21 in Wenatchee was Richard Johnson, Okanogan School District superintendent and chair of the Washington Association of School Administrators. Richard McBride, ESD superintendent was also on hand for the presentation.

Carlson was singled out for his leadership role and for his expanded role of supervising the construction of the district’s new school complex. It was noted that Carlson answered the administrative call that was clearly beyond normal challenges.

The construction venture called for demolition of one school, part of another and moving three separate schools into a single complex.

Carlson has been superintendent since he came to the district in July, 2010. He started with a three-day-a-week schedule, which quickly grew into full time.

He came to the district from Lynden, where he had also been superintendent.

Carlson will conclude his fifth year of service here at the end of July.

The board of directors extended his contract Monday night for an additional year, which will take him through July, 2016.

His contract calls for a salary of $104,000 a year.