LPOSD welcomes new superintendent

SANDPOINT — Shawn Woodward has a busy month ahead of him.

The recently-hired education administrator is busy preparing to step into the role of Lake Pend Oreille School District superintendent this July once Dick Cvitanich leaves for a new job in Washington state. Woodward is busy becoming acquainted with the local schools and staff while providing assistance for his successor as assistant superintendent at North Kitsap School District.

“It’s going to be a whirlwind next couple of weeks for sure,” Woodward said.

In addition to training and being trained for new jobs, Woodward is preparing to pack his belongings, ready his family and sell his house in anticipation of the move. That’s a lot of balls to juggle, but then, the life of a school administrator isn’t all that different.

Woodward started out as an administrator in 1999, when he moved from the classroom into the principal’s office while working for Burlington-Edison School District. A series of discussion with his colleagues predicated the decision to switch hats in his career.

“Through those conversations, I realized this was one way I could have an impact on more students,” he said.

That decision eventually propelled him to his most recent position as assistant superintendent at North Kitsap School District, and even more recently, into Bonner County. With more than 10 years of education administration experience, LPOSD board members determined that he was the only applicant that met their high standards.

The other half of Woodward’s 20-year career was spent right in front of students. Short-handed schools got their fair share of work out of him. Depending on where he was needed, he could be teaching middle school students at moment and first-graders the next. That hands-on experience in the classroom environment gave Woodward an appreciation for the challenges of teaching and an eye for quality work. He said he’s seen plenty of that in LPOSD schools.

“People here seem like they’re willing to do whatever it takes to improve education,” he said.

Woodward is also a fan of the district’s approach to learning. He was impressed with the amount of data that provided a foundation for the educational policies implemented in Lake Pend Oreille School District. That scientific rationale, he said, was fair superior to the gut-based decision making some educators employ.  

Even better, the county definitely suits his family. Woodward, his wife, Michelle, his 15- and 13-year-old daughters and his son, 11, are all big fans of the outdoors. Immediate access to a first-class lake and trails are a pretty excellent development for them. Woodward is already dreaming of morning runs along the Lake Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail.

The family is also love the ski slopes and previously traveled an hour and half every weekend to get a few rounds in a chair lift. Naturally, the immediate access to Schweitzer Mountain Resort is another big plus.

While a move can take its toll on any family, Woodward said those advantages definitely make a difference.

“My kids are a bit nervous, but the more they Google, the more excited they become,” he said.

As for his new job, there will be a lot of adjustments and adaptation as he learns the ropes.

However, based on what he’s seen, Woodward said he believes his new home will suit him and his family very nicely.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the community and being contributing members to it,” he said. “There’s an awful lot of good happening here, and we want to be a part of it.”