LPOSD welcomes new faces

SANDPOINT — The Lake Pend Oreille School District is welcoming a number of new faces to its administrative team, including three new principals, an assistant principal and two associate administrators.

Kootenai Elementary School is welcoming principal Summer Tigert, who has over 12 years of educational experience, with the last seven at Kootenai Elementary. Her roles ranged from special education specialist, education specialist focusing on math and reading interventions, to assistant principal.

Tigert and her husband Chase, a health education teacher at Sandpoint High School, are both involved in the community, along with their two children who attend Kootenai Elementary. They fish, craft fish tacos, camp, surf, ski at Schweitzer, and relax at home together.

Luke Childers will be taking on his role as principal at Lake Pend Oreille High School. He has been teaching for the past 10 years at LPOHS. Childers has over two decades of experience in education and has been described as “a devoted advocate for at-risk students.”

“I work hard to approach every student as an individual and to help them engage in meaningful learning,” Childers said. “When I am not here at the school, I love to be active in our area. I love to ski and snowboard with my sons over the winter months, but I cannot wait until the spring when I get to go fishing again.”

Southside Elementary School’s new principal, Jennifer Smith, has 25 years of experience in education, with 20 years working with LPOSD in various teaching positions.

Smith was raised in Sandpoint, graduated from University of Idaho, began her teaching career in Virginia, and moved back to Sandpoint with her husband and three children. She enjoys taking her kids to the lake, horseback riding, working in her garden, fishing and hiking.

After spending 12 years with the Coeur d’Alene School District, Jeniffer Behl will take on a new role as the assistant principal of Kootenai Elementary School. Her skills include curriculum development, behavioral support, and math, and reading interventions across different grade levels.

She and her family have been in North Idaho for over 20 years. For fun she likes to read, spend time with family, adventure in the mountains and relax at home.

Ellen Wassif, new associate administrator at Farmin Stidwell Elementary School, has over 18 years of experience in the mental health field with three years experience as a school counselor at Farmin Stidwell.

She will be joined by her certified therapy dog and reading education assistance dog, Pepper. Her hobbies include hiking, skiing, being on the lake with her husband, and being a “dance and soccer mom” to her two daughters.

Chris Taylor is assuming the role of associate administrator at Sandpoint High School. His experience includes eight years as a teacher and coach, and two years as an athletic director in Arizona.

After moving from Arizona last year, Taylor took on the responsibility of dean of students and athletic director for Priest River High School. He and his wife moved to Sandpoint to raise their three children near family.

“I could not ask for a better place to raise our family. Living here in Sandpoint and working for LPOSD is a dream come true for us,” Taylor said.