New principal hired to lead Westside Elementary

Posted 4/3/14

The Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees unanimously approved hiring Woyak for the position on March 25.

Woyak is currently an elementary school principal in Rib Lake, Wis., a position she has held for seven years.

“She has …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

New principal hired to lead Westside Elementary

Posted

A new principal will soon take the reins at Westside Elementary School.

Angela Woyak will begin this summer, replacing longtime Westside Principal Brent Walker, who is retiring after 30 years.

The Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees unanimously approved hiring Woyak for the position on March 25.

Woyak is currently an elementary school principal in Rib Lake, Wis., a position she has held for seven years.

“She has been in the public education field for 17 years,” said Kevin Mitchell, superintendent of the Powell school district. “She possesses excellent leadership skills, has a strong grasp of teaching and learning and is a very good communicator.”

A six-person hiring committee selected Woyak as the best person for the job out of dozens of applicants.

When the search process started earlier this year, 69 people began the extensive online application process and 44 finished it. The search narrowed to three candidates, who came to Powell for interviews last month, Mitchell said.

Woyak, 41, said she is looking forward to moving to Powell and working at Westside.

She and her husband researched the Powell school district and area as they were looking to relocate. “The more I researched public education in Wyoming, the more impressed I was,” she said.

Being from a small town in Wisconsin, Woyak said she’s familiar with the rural lifestyle in a small community with strong family ties and core beliefs. “I share a lot of those values,” she said. “That’s why Powell is so appealing.”

In Wisconsin, Woyak also has served as the district’s director of special education and the school psychologist. She said the small, rural district has been resourceful with the funding it has, and she also prides herself on being resourceful, taking on additional duties and responsibilities.

As her career has evolved, Woyak said she wants to focus more on instruction and curriculum programs for elementary students. “One of my key goals is to foster a positive and productive school climate, and to recognize all student success,” she said.

Woyak said she’s excited to join the staff at Westside and to “continue to enhance the high levels of student achievement.”

She called the position “an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“I am looking forward to getting to know all of the learners — students, teachers, support staff and parents,” she said.

Like other principals in the district, Woyak will have a one-year contract. Her base salary will be $91,868.40.

Woyak said she and her husband and their son, who is a third-grader, also are looking forward to becoming involved in the Powell community.

“From a parent’s perspective, Powell will offer him so many opportunities,” she said.

In addition to the quality education system, they’re excited about the aquatic center, library, Northwest College and beautiful downtown, she said. Now all she needs is some more orange and black, Woyak said.

“I really need to get some Powell Panther gear,” she said.

Comments