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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

New North Side School Principals Announced

Kara Briggs Staff writer

Lou Haymond remembers visiting the principal’s office when he was a youngster.

Unlike some of us, Haymond’s recollections of the experience are fond ones.

“My principal in elementary school was such a neat guy,” Haymond said. “He took time to know kids personally. I’ve wanted to be a principal, like him, for a lot of years.”

And now he is.

This fall, Haymond takes over as principal at Balboa Elementary. He is one of five new principals and assistant principals at District 81’s North Side schools.

The others are Denise Sandbo, principal at Woodridge Elementary; Brad Lindstrom, principal at Holmes Elementary School; Matt Elisara, assistant principal at Garry Middle School; and Phillip Newsum, assistant principal at Glover Middle School.

Balboa Elementary’s Haymond has taught in District 81 for 11 years. Most recently he taught second grade at Linwood Elementary.

Woodridge Elementary’s Sandbo taught at Holmes for the past 14 years. She has served as a principal designee when the principal was away from the building.

Holmes Elementary’s Lindstrom has worked in District 81 school for 17 years. He most recently served as assistant principal at Garry Middle School.

Elisara, who takes Lindstrom’s old post at Garry, formerly was assistant principal at Glover Middle School.

Newsum, who replaces Elisara at Glover, comes to Spokane from Palm Desert, Calif.

Becky Cooke is the new assistant principal at Mead Junior High School. She recently served as an acting principal at a school on Bainbridge Island in Western Washington.

Ron Chadwick, who last year was dean of students at Mead Junior High, is the new assistant principal at the district’s other junior high, Northwood. Chadwick has taught and coached in the Mead schools since 1978.

Three Nine Mile Falls School District principals are shifting to different schools.

The shuffle comes after the district was forced to cut its administrative staff by one person because of budgetary reasons.

David Nees, formerly principal of Lake Spokane Elementary School, will become principal of Lakeside High School and Nine Mile Middle School. He has been with the district since 1985.

Robert Stanek moves from Nine Mile Falls Elementary to Lake Spokane Elementary. He has been with the district since 1975.

Larry Gunther, who was principal at Nine Mile Middle School last year, is the new principal at Nine Mile Falls Elementary.

Gunther also serves as assistant to the superintendent and he will take charge of the district’s building program.

The Deer Park and Riverside school districts report no changes among top administrators.