LC’s Jon Swett GSL Principal of Year
Lewis and Clark High School Principal Jon Swett has been selected as Principal of the Year for the Greater Spokane League.
The GSL includes Gonzaga Prep and high schools from Spokane Public Schools and the Mead, Cheney, Clarkston, Central Valley, East Valley and West Valley School districts.
Each year the Association of Washington State Principals has each of the leagues in its nine districts select a Principal of the Year candidate. From this group, principals can apply for State Principal of the Year.
Those chosen for state principal then go on to the next level, National Principal of the Year.
“With so many outstanding GSL principals, I was very humbled by the nomination for League Distinguished Principal,” Swett wrote in an e-mail. “I must also say, leading a staff as hard working and dedicated as the one at LC, our great students and a supportive community makes my job one of the best. The real award should go to them.”
“I am in the process now of answering questions required to enter the state selection process, and if it is meant to be, I will gladly represent the state in the national contest.”
Swett was nominated for the honor by his former boss, East Valley High School Principal Jeff Miller.
“I think he’s shown dynamic leadership. He’s a change agent; he’s got a vision, and he’s willing to take bold steps to improve education,” Miller said.
“He looks at things from a quality-research base, and he’s not afraid to step up and make the changes that need to be made.”
Swett, 46, has been at LC since fall 2002. He began as the school’s assistant principal in charge of curriculum and instruction.
Before that, he was the assistant principal of student affairs at North Central High School.
Swett began his career in education as a college prep chemistry and physics teacher at East Valley High School, where he later served as the math and science department chairman and coached baseball, softball and volleyball.
As LC principal, Swett manages faculty and staff of more than 150 and is responsible for 2,000 students.
LC has been nationally recognized for its Advanced Placement programs and has been listed twice as one of the top high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. The school’s WASL scores exceed both the district and state averages in all areas, including math, reading, writing and science.