Since Teresa Weems loves the mountains, the commute from Missoula to Charlo is “a renewed blessing everyday,” she said. 

While she’s a fan of the countryside, the new superintendent of the Charlo School District says she’s here for the students.

“Every single thing we do has to come back to what’s best for Charlo students,” she said in a recent interview. Weems added that the teachers, the school board, and the community really get that.

Describing the school board as “amazing,” she said, “They’re really good people who want to do what’s best for the kids. And the teachers are the same way.” 

Community members Weems has met are down-to-earth people who “bleed purple” and support the schools.  

Weems replaces Steve Love, who retired at the end of the 2023-’24 school year. Since arriving, she’s noticed that Charlo Schools are student-driven, with a staff committed to doing what’s best for the kids. 

“For the most part, people are a little more open to change than other districts I’ve worked with,” she continued.

She also notes that the elementary, middle school and high school each strive to reflect the community and its values. 

“Charlo wants to be true to Charlo,” Weems said. 

As an administrator, Weems has set a couple of goals for herself.

“My first goal is just to make sure Charlo is a school that has a climate and culture teachers want to be in, and students want to go to,” she said. “I want Charlo to have a good reputation.”

Next, Weems wants to look into adding a preschool program, since the community doesn’t have one, and believes it would be a major asset for the district. 

Open-door policy

Weems brings a suitcase full of degrees and experience. She grew up in Idaho “just over the mountain,” and earned her bachelor’s at the University of Idaho in Moscow, her master’s in K-12 reading from Northwest Nazarene, also in Idaho, and her master’s in math education in Utah. Her graduate certification to serve as a principal and superintendent came from the University of Montana.

Weems has worked in several schools, including a stint in Title 1 and intervention in the Lolo and Bonner schools, and teaching in Cascade and, most recently, St. Regis.

She and her husband live in Missoula and would like to move to the Charlo area. They have two grown daughters. 

The 2024-’25 school year begins this week, with teachers returning Aug. 19, and students back in classrooms Aug. 20. 

As the year begins, Weems is getting acquainted with teachers and when classes commence this week, she’ll be in all the classrooms getting to know students too.  

In addition, Weems has an open-door policy and said she invites people to stop and say “Hi.”