COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Two big administrative changes are coming to the Coeur d'Alene School District on July 1.
Director of assessment and system performance Mike Nelson has been named deputy superintendent, a new position overseeing the instructional side of operations.
"As a ‘Coeur d'Alene kid,’ I'm a product of my education," Nelson said. "I am proud that I have learned from the best educators in our state. It is so very humbling that I have the unique opportunity to work with the talented people in our district in this new role, and I look forward to highlighting the good work of our students.”
Trent Derrick, who has served as principal of Lakeland High School since 2016, will take over the role of assistant superintendent of secondary education.
He will succeed Libbi Barrett, who will resign at the end of June. Barrett served in this role for one year, after serving as principal of Coeur d'Alene High School.
“I am excited to start my position as assistant superintendent of secondary education for the Coeur d’Alene School District,” Derrick said. “I know I am joining a group of professionals who believe in the capacity of education to transform and empower all individuals in the district to be incredibly successful. I am humbled by the opportunity and will work hard under the direction of Dr. Hocker to provide necessary guidance, support and service to all staff and stakeholders.”
After 24 years in various instructional and leadership roles in the Coeur d'Alene School District, Nelson will supervise all directors associated with the instructional side of district operations, including both assistant superintendents, special education director, federal programs and assessment director, and curriculum coordinator.
While deputy superintendent is a new position, it is being funded through a restructuring of district administrative staff and will not result in a budget increase.
The district has combined Nelson's former position, director of assessment and system performance, with director of federal programs and equity. That new position is director of federal programs and assessment. In addition, the position of director of curriculum was restructured as curriculum coordinator, and the deputy superintendent will absorb some responsibilities of curriculum director. Nelson oversaw curriculum in the district from 2015-2019.
"Dr. Nelson, or Mike as he generally insists he be referred to as, will fit this restructured position nicely," Superintendent Shon Hocker said. "I'm excited to work with him in this capacity. His diverse educational background will be very beneficial in this new role."
Nelson is a 1991 Coeur d’Alene High School graduate and was awarded six degrees from the University of Idaho between 1996 and 2015. After a year teaching at Garfield-Palouse High School, Mike taught Spanish at CHS from 1998 to 2007. He was assistant principal at CHS until 2010, then director of assessment for the district until 2015, when he added director of curriculum to his role. He has overseen assessment and system performance for the past three years.
Nelson was named the District Teacher of the Year in 2004 and Idaho’s Milken National Educator in 2005.
Derrick has 26 years of secondary public education experience.
Before becoming Lakeland High’s principal in 2016, he was assistant principal/athletic director from 2010 to 2016 and assistant principal from 2007 to 2010.
He taught chemistry and physics at Lakeland High from 1996 to 2009, preceded by four years of teaching in Boring, Ore.
He has education degrees from Multnomah University in Portland, Lewis-Clark State College and Gonzaga University.
"We look forward to all that Trent offers as a veteran school administrator and leader and are excited to have him join the fabulous team at Coeur d’Alene Public Schools," Hocker said.