PRIEST LAKE — Tommy Hansen has been selected as the new principal at Priest Lake Elementary.

"I am thrilled to begin to work with the students and teachers at the school to not only better prepare them for their life in secondary school, but also to watch them grow into the amazing people that I know they will become," Hansen said in a recent West Bonner County School District social media post.

Hansen said he was excited to be selected for the position, saying he'd dreamed of attending the school as a youth. His grandparents had a "no running water-type of rustic" cabin near Priest Lake, a place he loved spending time.

"I spent most of my free time while I was growing up at the cabin and in the mountains of the area, passing by the school hundreds of times," Hansen said.

A teacher in the district since 2019, Hansen most recently taught U.S. history at Priest River Lamanna High School. I recently completed his master's degree in educational leadership at Eastern Washington University. 

Hansen said he is looking forward to working with families and the Priest Lake community.

"As we begin this school year together, I want you to know that my door is always open," Hansen said. "Whether you have a question, concern, or idea, I welcome the opportunity to connect."

The new principal said he plans to greet students at the bus, attend school events and stop by classrooms to see the students learning in action.