Meyer ready to 'hit the ground running'

SANDPOINT – After the holiday, Lake Pend Oreille School District’s new superintendent in Dr. Becky Meyer said she is ready to “hit the ground running.”

Succeeding her long-time colleague Tom Albertson, following his last day on June 30 as his retirement became official, Meyer has already made strides in her new position having done a “tour” visiting all the schools and principals in the district and going to every board of trustees meeting since March. But Meyer said she is ready for more.

Having spent the last six years as superintendent of Lakeland School District, and more than 20 years in LPOSD prior to that, Meyer is no stranger to the community or the position. That is why she wasted no time setting her first priorities of the business, school safety, and community involvement, Meyer said

In addition to attending board meetings and touring the district, Meyer has initiated a District Safety Task Force. Composed of parents, retired first responders, and community members, the group will focus on improving safety in schools by going to each building in the district and creating a priority list. The task force will also work with parents and the community via surveys and forums to ensure concerns are not only heard but eased. This is a part of Meyer's grander scheme — to get the community more involved in the education of its youth.

“The main thing my first year is to really increase communication out to everybody and ensure that people feel involved and that they know what's going on, that we're transparent,” Meyer said “So really increasing communication, creating avenues for people to have their voice heard.”

The task force is a concept Meyer developed and implemented in the Lakeland School District. Since its creation, the task force has been behind many changes and updates regarding safety including the installation of panic buttons, keyless identity-specific building entry, and the hiring of three armed guards. While Meyer said she would like to replicate the success in LPOSD she is primarily concerned with assessment and community involvement.

With the number of people currently on the task force, including Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon, and their mix of professional backgrounds either in law enforcement, security, or parenting, Meyer said she is confident and eager to see what the task force can accomplish.

“I've got 14 people on it right now. Just a real small committed team that is going to ripple out and communicate to all of their groups so that this group can get a lot accomplished,” Meyer said.

The task force will meet once a week to start, then grow to once a month while putting out surveys to the community and parents.

“Hopefully, we'll meet weekly through July and at the start of August. Then hopefully, we'll just see if we do once a month after that. But to really see what we need to have in place,” Meyer said. “We really want to hit the ground running, and we're gonna get a survey ready to go at this first meeting to send out to parents. So that's like the very, very top priority is school safety.”

Meyer has also taken several steps to improve communication including creating a district Instagram account and filling a new position, created by Meyer, whose duty will be to facilitate communication. Meyer said she also has plans to be actively involved in the community and plans for a monthly district blog, which will serve as another avenue for parents and the community to engage with the district and stay up-to-date.

“So I’m trying to really increase communication. I'm going to be out and about in the community. I'm gonna go to the Sandpoint City Council meeting tomorrow. Just joined the Rotary, Kiwanis, and kind of do as much as possible to be out in the community,” Meyer said.

With all she has planned for the district, Meyer said there is an underlying message to her hard work and accomplishments. As the first female Sandpoint High School principal and now the first female superintendent of LPOSD Meyer said she hopes her hard work and attitude will show young women they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.

“Girls can do it, too,” Meyer said.