New principal hired for Whitefish High

The Daily Inter Lake

The Whitefish school board hired a new high school principal Tuesday.

Dave Carlson, currently the principal and director of Learning Alternative School in Spring Lake Park, Minn., replaces Kent Paulson, who retired this spring after 14 years at Whitefish High School, five of them as principal.

Carlson became an educator 14 years ago, after changing careers at age 40, according to a press release from Superintendent Jerry House. Prior to teaching, Carlson spent 23 years in the propane and gas supply business.

In addition to more than a decade as a teacher and administrator, Carlson has nine years' experience as a trustee for a foundation that organizes and implements fundraisers supporting excellence in education.

Carlson was hired for his experience with secondary alternative education, focusing on individualized learning, implementing professional teacher communities, assessing student accomplishments, and facilitating and expecting high-quality improvements, according to House.

Carlson also has knowledge of 21st-century learning skills and developed and implemented a school-within-a-school program called Program for Success.

Together, these things "clearly made the decision easy to identify … Carlson as the candidate of choice," House said. Carlson was selected from 12 applicants from Montana, Idaho, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Ohio.

The district will host a meet-and-greet ceremony for Carlson and his wife, Lisa, from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at the high school.