Principal's Message

Flathead Families,

I’m excited for my 10th year as Principal of Flathead High School.  Each year, I’m reminded of the many reasons why I love working at this school.  We have a wonderful tradition of excellence and school pride, and I’m proud of all things our school offers.  Our goals this year revolve around student agency and curricular clarity because we want all students to understand and communicate about their learning.  Student agency means that students know what they are learning, why it is important, where they are going next, and how they will show proficiency in learning.

In most public schools, students “do school,” put in the time, and work their way through 22 credits that make up the high school diploma.  This decades-old model needs to shift, similar to how our world and society has shifted.  A high school’s goal is to prepare students for the future, and this future and the jobs our students will hold are hard to predict.  If we can help students learn to solve problems, show resilience, communicate effectively, take personal responsibility, and always be learners, they will be prepared. 

This seems like a lofty goal, but it starts with staff building student agency in all classes.  Our staff at Flathead High School embraces the challenge and works hard during our Early Release time to engage in professional learning that supports student agency.  We believe all students can learn at high levels, and we are committed to doing the work to make this happen.

One tradition at Flathead High School that is a model of student agency is our Brave Mentoring program.  This student-led semester-long mentoring program for our incoming 9th graders evolves and grows each year, as the team of student leaders reflects on their own experiences, student climate survey data, and other evidence to create a mentoring experience for the upcoming year.  It is a cornerstone of student agency in our school.

The many faces of Flathead students reflect a wide range of interests and backgrounds.  Our goal is to help each student engage in school athletics and activities and commit to their own path for learning.  We connect students to International Baccalaureate, Project Lead the Way STEM coursework, Agriculture Education, Career and Tech Ed pathways, and Work-Based Learning opportunities.  The road to the high school diploma can be personalized in so many ways.  I love being a part of that student journey!