Recently, two principal candidates for Lusk Elementary Middle School (LEMS) were invited to participate in a ‘public interview’ process on location in Lusk. Starting with a tour of the grounds from LEMS students and ending in a public forum in the library, the candidates had the chance to answer questions from teachers, students, and parents alike in a less formal setting. 

Per Niobrara County School District Superintendent Aaron Carr, following the public interviews, the school board held a special session on March 31 at 4:00pm to hire George Mirich as the new LEMS Principal. Mirich, who hails from Crook County, will begin with NCSD at the start of the 2017-2018 school year. “[He] understands the culture and local dynamics very well. George’s most current job was at Fort Washakie School in Fremont County, where he served as the PK-8 Principal. Prior to that he was the junior high [and] high school principal in Big Horn Wyoming, where he led the school to excellence, receiving a Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education” says Carr, adding, “The public forums went very well, this year we incorporated an online survey for participants to rate their favorite candidate; as a result of the survey, George received 60 % of the vote from the public and staff. Hopefully we won’t need to hire another administrator any time soon.  However if we do we anticipate using the same public forum format”.