Finalists Named For Mead’s High School Principals

The Mead School Board is close to hiring new principals for both of the district’s high schools.

Three Washington educators have been named finalists for the top administrative jobs at Mead High and the new Mount Spokane High. The school board is expected to make its selections by the end of April.

Mike Dunn, principal of Shadle Park High School, is the only currently local educator among the finalists. Nancy Bush-Lange of Vancouver’s Evergreen High School and Donald “Mick” Miller of Kelso High School also were picked from 62 applicants.

Because the board is hiring for both jobs simultaneously, it is unclear who is being considered for which job. Mount Spokane, under construction on Peone Prairie, will open in September 1997.

Mead principal Steve Hogue is retiring after 34 years in Spokane public schools and 16 at the high school.

Board president and search committee member Mary Jane Thompson said the committee may not schedule public forums with the finalists.

Thompson noted that the 19-person committee represents a spectrum of interests, including parents, teachers, janitors and administrators.

It is unusual for two high-profile jobs to be open at the same time, and the search committee is being methodical, said Thompson.

“We have zeroed in on finding the best, not (on) a specific date,” said Thompson.

The search committee used an exhaustive list of desired qualities to weed out candidates. Decision maker and problem solver. Visionary. Highly visible. Willing to risk, change or fail. Sensitive to and supportive of the needs of students and staff.

Salary range for the jobs is $63,490 to $85,900, depending on experience.

Here is a brief description of each candidate:

Dunn has been principal at Shadle since 1990, when he was promoted from assistant principal.

A Medical Lake High School and Washington State University graduate, Dunn began his teaching career in Ritzville in 1979. He has guided Shadle through two years of reorganization, including establishing a new parent advisory committee.

Bush-Lange is experienced in opening a new high school. She was associate principal at Mountain View High School when it opened in 1981. Bush-Lange has also worked with administrators opening three junior high schools in the Evergreen District.

Bush-Lange graduated from Washington State University and has a master’s degree from the University of Washington. She has spent 17 years of her 23 years in education in the Evergreen School District in Vancouver.

Kelso High School principal Donald Miller has deep Spokane roots. A 1979 Shadle Park High School graduate, Miller got his master’s degree from Whitworth College.

He spent 11 years as a teacher, coach, activities director and assistant principal at North Central High School before moving to Kelso in 1994.

Miller took the Kelso position in 1994. His father, Don Miller, is principal at Garry Middle School.

, DataTimes