New leaders

You may need a road map to figure out who’s where in Spokane Public schools and some of the surrounding districts. Students at 16 Spokane public schools saw a new face in their principal’s office when they returned to class on Sept. 7. Thirty-four percent of the city’s 47 schools — including 11 of the 35 elementary schools, four of the six high schools, and one middle school — began the school year under new leadership.

Outside the district, Mead, Cheney and Medical Lake high schools also are being run by new principals. At the Mead Alternative High School, the two programs are being run by Pete Arthur.

Last year, there were two principal changes in the Spokane district, and six during the 2002-2003 school year.

Four of this year’s changes are due to vacancies created by retirements. Two principals left the district, two took new positions within the district, and one went from middle school principal to high school principal.

Of the 16 principals in new assignments, seven are serving in the position for the first time.

As “baby boomers,” who started their education careers 30 or more years ago, approach retirement age, schools may see more changes in coming years. According to a 2002 National Association of Elementary School Principals report, 66 percent of 29,500 elementary and middle school principals and assistant principals will retire in the next six to 10 years.

“A year ago we didn’t have any retirements at the elementary level, so this year, having three retirements set the process in motion. First we let principals know that those positions were open if they were interested in a change, and when three of them came forward and said, ‘Yes, we want these schools,’ then that created three more (vacancies). … It was a domino effect,” said Spokane Public Schools Associate Superintendent Nancy Stowell.

SPOKANE SCHOOL DISTRICT Ferris High School

Name: Erik Ohlund

Hometown: Coeur d’Alene

Former position: Principal at University High School

Years in education: 31

Replaces: Jonathan Bentz (retired)

Education: Idaho State (bachelor’s); Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “Our primary focus, and fitting with our mission, is to make sure that all students are able to read with understanding and a degree of competency to become critical learners now and for their future, as well as to make sure that every student feels support from caring adults.”

Havermale High School

Name: Carole Meyer

Hometown: Moscow, Idaho

Former position: Assistant principal at Ferris High School

Years in education: 18

Replaces: Greg Baker (Baker joined a doctoral program at Harvard)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s); Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “We’re a small high school with different delivery models. My goal is for the students that leave Havermale to have as many options as any other kids in any other high school in the district.”

North Central High School

Name: Steve Gering

Hometown: Ritzville, Wash.

Former position: Assistant principal at Mountlake Terrace High School in Edmonds, Wash.

Years in education: 12

Replaces: Mike McGuire (principal on special assignment for capital projects)

Education: University of Puget Sound, (bachelor’s); Harvard (master’s)

Goal: “To build relationships with staff and students is one of my personal goals. And as for our school goals; we’re focused on improving our instructional capacity, our ability to deliver high quality instruction to all students.”

Shadle Park High School

Name: Herb Rotchford

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Sacajawea Middle School

Years in education: 30

Replaces: Tom Gresch (principal at Cheney High School)

Education: University of Washington (bachelor’s), Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “To pay attention to literacy, the whole idea of kids accessing information regardless of the type of text, whether it’s literature or information text. Kids need to develop the skills and strategies for accessing that information and then writing about it.”

Sacajawea Middle School

Name: Paula Ronhaar

Hometown: Seattle

Former position: Assistant principal at Lewis and Clark High School

Years in education: 28

Replaces: Herb Rotchford (principal at Shadle Park High School)

Education: Seattle Pacific University (bachelor’s), Eastern Washington University (master’s)

Goal: “To enable all our kids, every single one, to achieve at their highest level possible through amazing instruction in the classroom. We also need to remember, particularly with middle school kids, that there’s a more holistic look at it then just the academic piece. We also need to respond to them developmentally and the social environment that they’re in as well.”

Bemiss Elementary

Name: Kevin Peterson

Hometown: Post Falls

Former position: Assistant principal at Chase Middle School

Years in education: 14

Replaces: Lorna Spear (executive director for Spokane Public Schools)

Education: Whitworth College (bachelor’s and certification), Lesley College (master’s)

Goal: “To continue providing a positive and safe learning environment and secondly, to continue to provide rigorous academic experiences so that all students have the opportunity to be successful learners.”

Browne Elementary

Name: Lou Haymond

Hometown: Boise

Former position: Principal at Stevens Elementary

Years in education: 25

Replaces: Rodger Lake (retired)

Education: University of Idaho (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral)

Goal: “To get to know and earn the trust of the Browne community. And to support students and staff and continue the learning growth that has been a tradition here at Browne. It’s a positive school, and there’s tremendous pride in the new building, and I feel so fortunate to be here. It’s truly is a community school here.”

Cooper Elementary

Name: Mike Cosgrove

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Madison Elementary

Years in education: 28

Replaces: Jim Rogers (retired)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s), Whitworth College, (master’s)

Goal: “My goals are to develop relationships with staff and the community and bring people together to do what’s best for kids.”

Holmes Elementary

Name: Steve Barnes

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Pratt Elementary

Years in education: 22

Replaces: Denise Sandbo (principal at Logan)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s and master’s)

Goal: “To improve student learning here at Holmes, and to value and honor the staff, students and community. I would like to show people that Holmes is a great place for kids. It’s a learning, thriving, growing, shaking organization that really has kids at the focal point.”

Hutton Elementary

Name: Chuck Demarest

Hometown: Richland

Former position: Assistant principal at Shaw

Years in education: 14

Replaces: Valorie Chadwick (principal at Lidgerwood)

Education: Washington State University (bachelor’s); Heritage College (master’s)

Goal: “To develop the capacity of all — whether it be staff, students or parents. To develop our capacity as learners.”

Lidgerwood Elementary

Name: Valorie Chadwick

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Hutton Elementary

Years in education: 27

Replaces: Brad Lundstrom (retired)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s), Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “We are preparing for a move where all of the students and staff will move to empty classrooms in the nearby area because our school will be torn down and we will have a brand new school the year after that. So this is a good time for me to get to know the staff and the students and then prepare for this move.”

Logan Elementary

Name: Denise Sandbo

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Holmes Elementary

Years in education: 24

Replaces: Mallory Thomas (principal at Regal Elementary)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s, master’s and certification)

Goal: “I hope to learn about the Logan community and neighborhood and make connections not only with parents but the various agencies that support the school. My goal is to effectively supervise staff so that we can really become good technicians at assessing our children, knowing those kids through the assessments and having that be the information that drives the planning, all the strategies we implement, and the instruction that we do.”

Madison Elementary

Name: Brent Perdue

Hometown: Cheney

Former position: Principal-assistant at Holmes Elementary

Years in education: Nine

Replaces: Mike Cosgrove (Cooper Elementary)

Education: University of Washington (bachelor’s) Gonzaga University (teaching certificate),

Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “To assist teachers in using the grade-level expectations to meet the needs of every student and to utilize assessments so that we can target specific kids with instruction that will help them meet those grade-level expectations. At the same time cultivating the kinds of relationships with adults and children in the building where we can support one another and learn and grow together.”

Pratt Elementary

Name: Paul Gannon

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Assistant principal at Salk Middle School

Years in education: 10

Replaces: Steve Barnes (principal at Holmes Elementary)

Education: Gonzaga University (bachelor and master’s), Eastern Washington University (master’s)

Goal: “To maintain and build an even more positive, inviting climate for community members and parents, to make sure that we have high standards of student expectations, behaviorally and academically. To help classroom teachers align their practices with one another across grade levels so that we’re being consistent.”

Regal Elementary

Name: Mallory Thomas

Hometown: Cheney

Former position: Principal at Logan Elementary

Years in education: 25

Replaces: Mike Crabtree (principal at Stevens Elementary)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s and master’s) Administrative credential from Western Washington University

Goal: “Since I am new at Regal, my main goal is to learn about the great school community here so I can assist students, parents, and staff in helping all students have a successful and productive year.”

Stevens Elementary

Name: Mike Crabtree

Hometown: Spokane

Former position: Principal at Regal Elementary

Years in education: 28

Replaces: Lou Haymond (principal at Browne Elementary)

Education: Eastern Washington University (bachelor’s), Whitworth College (master’s)

Goal: “To support a learning environment that’s fun, safe and helps all students reach their potential.”