Flathead High principal finalists interviewed
Four finalists will be interviewed for the Flathead High School principal position today followed by an invitation for the public to meet the candidates in the evening.
Current Flathead Principal Peter Fusaro’s contract ends June 30. Fusaro has accepted a position at Flathead Valley Community College after serving as the Flathead principal for 11 years.
Candidates for the principal position and their current positions are as follows: John Blackman, assistant superintendent of Blaine County School District in Idaho; Tres Genger, principal Lindbergh High School in Renton, Washington; Peter Hamilton Sr., Principal at Cut Bank High School in Cut Bank; and Michele Paine, assistant principal at Flathead High School.
Candidates will be interviewed by a 16-person team made up of staff, parents, administrators and school board trustees. In addition to a formal interview, each candidate will tour the district, including Flathead, and meet with staff such as Fusaro.
At 4 p.m. today, a meet-and-greet event is planned in the second floor of the Flathead High School library to introduce the principal candidates to the public. Candidates will give brief introductions around 4:30 p.m. followed by an opportunity for attendees to ask questions. The event will also be an opportunity for people to fill out feedback forms. Refreshments will be served.
A finalist is expected to be announced June 1 with the recommendation going before the board June 13.
The following is more detailed information about the candidates according to information provided by Kalispell Public Schools:
- John Blackman is currently the assistant superintendent for the Blaine County School District in Idaho, where he oversees the human resources and safety and security departments.
Blackman has previously served in high school principal and vice-principal positions in Wood River High School in Idaho in 2007 and 2001 respectively. He began his career as an art teacher in 1984 at Woods River Schools in Idaho where he also served as a football coach and wrestling coach.
Blackman received a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University in Bozeman and holds a Master of Education degree in addition to an education specialist degree from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. Blackman also has a Professional in Human Resources certification.
- Tres Genger has served as principal at Lindbergh High School in Renton, Washington since 2002.
Genger has been in high school administration since 1993, serving as an assistant principal and activities director at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, and in Washington in assistant principal positions at Sammamish High School and Thomas Jefferson High School. He began his career in the classroom in 1977 in Box Elder. During his tenure he has served as a teacher, coach and driver’s education instructor.
Genger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education with a double major in physical education and business education from Western Montana College in Dillon. He holds a master’s and administrative endorsement from the University of Montana in Missoula.
- Peter Hamilton Sr. is currently principal at Cut Bank High School in Cut Bank where he has served since 2011.
Hamilton began his career in 2003 at Hardin School District in Hardin where he served as a strength and conditioning teacher in addition to being an assistant coach for football, basketball and track. He also worked in St. Ignatius as a health enhancement teacher.
Hamilton received a bachelor’s degree in health enhancement from the University of Montana in Missoula and holds a Master of Educational Leadership from Rocky Mountain College in Billings.
- Michele Paine is currently an assistant principal at Flathead High School, where she has been since 2011.
Paine joined Kalispell Public Schools in 1998 as a Title 1 reading and English tutor at the Kalispell Junior High and then served as a reading intervention teacher at Flathead. In 2005, Paine became the kindergarten- through 12th-grade language arts facilitator for the district — returning to Flathead in her current position in 2011. Paine began her career in the classroom in 1994 as a language arts, reading and art teacher at Kennedy Junior High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Paine received her bachelor’s degree in English and her teaching certification from the University of Washington in Seattle. She holds a Master of Education in curriculum instruction from Montana State University in Bozeman and her K-12 principal certification from the University of Montana in Missoula.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.