1. What is your current role(s) at Vaughn Schools?
I am the district superintendent.
2. What previous teaching, coaching, or other extracurricular activities have you been involved with, if any, at previous schools and how many years of experience do you have?
I began my teaching career in 1991 in Flaxville, Montana and worked there until 2006. I was a business teacher, coach, A.D. and for the final three years at Flaxville I was the school administrator. Additionally, I was also the superintendent at Outlook schools in 2005. In 2006, I became the K-12 principal and district superintendent at Savage, Montana. In 2009, I became the K-12 principal and district superintendent at Power, Montana. I retired in June 2022 and now work part time at Vaughn.
3. Give us a brief history to include where you are from, where you were born, where you graduated from high school, and if/where you graduated from college.
I grew up in Sunburst, Montana and graduated there in 1986. I attended MSU-Bozeman and MSU-Northern to obtain my bachelor’s degree in business education in 1991. I obtained my master’s degree in educational leadership in 2005 from Montana State University-Bozeman.
4. Tell us about your family, spouse, or significant other.
My wife, Rochelle, and I were married in 1993. Rochelle had Jessica, Aaron and Gretchen prior to our marriage and then the two of us had sons, Isaiah and Dominik. All of our kids graduated from college. Jessica is married to Ryan Patterson and they have twins, Ayden and Kyra, and youngest son, Liam. Aaron is married to Michelle and they have daughters Ava and Ruth. Gretchen is married to Kallan Kropp and they have a daughter, Sylvia. Isaiah lives with Skylar Rispens in Missoula and Dominik also lives in Missoula.
5. Do you have any pets?
We have a puggle named Maude.
6. What are some of your hobbies and interests?
Rochelle and I spend time working on our house and yard. We enjoy visiting our kids and grandkids. I dabble in carpentry and woodworking. I am a Kentucky Wildcat basketball fan, and my other favorite teams are the Red Sox, Raiders, Wizards, Sabres and USC Trojan football. Just a hodgepodge of favorite teams.
7. Are there any other interesting tidbits you want to share about yourself?
I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work at Vaughn. I am excited about the future of the school and the high quality education that the students will be receiving.
1. What is your current role(s) at Vaughn Schools?
This is my third school year as the principal at Vaughn School.
2. What previous teaching, coaching, or other extracurricular activities have you been involved with, if any, at previous schools, and how many years of experience do you have?
In 1999, I began my career teaching fourth grade at Vaughn Public School in Vaughn, Montana. I have poured myself into teaching at Vaughn. While there, I have been the third and fourth-grade teacher, Vaughn Education Association President, Parent Teacher Organization member, Supervising Teacher, girls’ and boys’ basketball coach, assistant track coach, middle school football coach, technology instructor, technology coordinator, middle school science and language arts teacher, and now principal. My entire educational career (almost twenty-five years). I also completed my student teaching at Vaughn Public School. During my career, I have made many great friends, worked side by side with dedicated educators, and I have had the wonderful experience of teaching students of students. I started as a Wildcat and will retire as a Wildcat.
3. Give us a brief history to include where you are from, where you were born, where you graduated from high school, and if/where you graduated from college.
I have lived most of my life, about 51 years, in Montana. I was born in Whitefish, Montana, and grew up in Libby, Montana; go, Libby Loggers!! I attended Flathead Valley Community College for five years on a Logger Sports Scholarship while earning an Associate of Arts Degree and an Associate of Applied Science Degree. I met my wife when I worked my first year as a forester for the United States Forest Service in Hungry Horse, Montana, in 1988. I then worked as a forester for seven of the next nine years for Alder Creek Forestry Consultants. After I injured my knee in 1993, my wife and I moved to Great Falls, Montana, where I worked odd jobs. In 1995, I returned to school and earned my elementary education degree with a reading minor.
4. Tell us about your family, spouse, or significant other.
My wife and I have been married for 31 years, living in Great Falls, MT, for thirty of those years. We do not have any kids, but I am told quite often that I have hundreds of kids (all of the students that I have taught at Vaughn Public School).
5. Do you have any pets?
We are currently without pets.
6. What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I enjoy creating leather projects when I have spare time. My favorite items to create are leather wall hangings. We try to spend as much time as possible at the cabin we built and put our forestry experience to use managing our little 11-acre forest. When the weather is nice, a cruise in my 1966 Mustang is enjoyable and relaxing.
