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The Milepost: Thank you Principals

Posted Date: 10/15/26 (12:49 PM)
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The header for The Milepost newsletter features a collage of photos of students, staff and parents with the words Chehalis School District The Milepost Preparing Students for the Journey Ahead

Powered by Purpose

Honoring the Leaders Who Lead Our Schools

October 15, 2026

October is Principal Appreciation Month

Walk into any Chehalis school on a typical morning and you’ll likely find the principal already there. They’re greeting students at the door, checking in with a teacher, or quietly solving a problem before the first bell. Most of what they do goes unseen, and yet it shapes everything about a student’s day. 

Research consistently shows that, among school-based factors, the principal’s influence on student learning is second only to the classroom teacher’s. That influence comes through the work principals do every day.
A smiling man in a pink polo holds a coffee cup outside the entrance of W.F. West High School as students arrive.

They Set The Culture

Students learn best where they feel safe, known, and expected to succeed. Principals build that environment, one interaction at a time.
A group of adults in a conference room participate in a team-building exercise, forming human pyramids with arms raised.

They Grow Great Teaching

Principals recruit, support, coach and retain the educators who make the daily difference for our students. Strong teachers stay and thrive in schools with strong leaders.
A woman stands by a grey car, holding folders and speaking with the driver through the open window.

They Connect Families and Community.

For many families, the principal is the face of the district. They listen, explain, and build the trust that lets families and schools work as partners.
A diverse group of adults and a young person sit around a black table in a school cafeteria, engaged in a discussion with papers and trinkets.

They Keep the Long View

Every decision about instruction, schedules, supports, and safety is made with an eye on where each student is headed.

That’s what it means to be Powered by Purpose

Our principals don’t just manage buildings. They lead with a clear sense of why this work matters, and they carry that purpose into every classroom and hallway.

Why it matters for 75 by 35 
In Chehalis, our educational mission extends far past the graduation ceremony. Rather than centering solely on diplomas, our student achievement goal targets long-term postsecondary success. Starting with the class of 2035, our objective is for 75% of our graduates to earn a postsecondary credential. Establishing the base for this vision starts in kindergarten through enthusiasm and school readiness, progressing as middle schoolers stay actively engaged and secure in their sense of belonging. It carries through to high school, where students can visualize clear possibilities past graduation. At every one of those moments, a principal is helping build the foundation: strengthening instruction, noticing the student who needs a boost and keeping high expectations alongside high support. Reaching 75 by 35 won’t happen by chance. It happens school by school, with leaders who keep their eyes on every student.
A grid of twelve smiling professional headshots against a plain white background.

Thank you, Principals!

To each of our principals: thank you for the early mornings, the late evenings, the ballgames and concerts, the tough conversations and the quiet moments of encouragement no one else sees. You carry the weight of our schools with grace, and our students and families are better for it. Chehalis is fortunate to have you.

Our principals: 
  • W.F. West High School: Principal Craig Curry, Assistant Principals Donnie Bunker, Tommy Elder and Christine Voelker
  • Chehalis Middle School: Principal Heidi Fagerness, Assistant Principal Brandon Marskell
  • Orin Smith Elementary: Principal Dannie Clark, Assistant Principal Francie Ishler
  • James Lintott Elementary: Principal Merisa Wilson, Assistant Principal Joey Easley
  • Kevin Ryan, Principal Turning Point/Lewis County Alternative and Green Hill Academic School
  • Katie Howell, Executive Director for Student Achievement, Principal for VISIONS

During October, we invite our community to join us in saying thanks. Send a note, stop by a school, or tell a principal what their leadership means to your family.