Scott Winter selected as new principal for Churchill County High School

Trustees selected a new principal for Churchill County High School on Thursday at their July school board meeting.

Dr. Summer Stephens, superintendent of the Churchill County School District, recommended Scott Winter, who has already arrived in Fallon with his family. He replaces Kevin Lords, the district’s new human resource director. Winter received his Bachelor of Arts in Education degree in 1995 from the University of Wyoming.

Stephens said Winter has experience at both the high school and elementary levels. He is currently the principal of JG Johnson Elementary School in Pahrump, a 510-student Pre-k-5 Title I school about 60 miles east of Las Vegas.

“As the instructional leader in a 100 percent Title I school, my focus centered on providing equity in learning, building foundational skills found within state standards and meeting students’ emotional needs so all students had the opportunity to succeed every day,” Winter wrote in his letter to the selection committee.

Additionally, he has served as assistant principal at Rock Springs (Wyoming) High School, Durango (Colorado) High School and Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, Wyoming.

“He’s big into collaboration and what that looks like with data and forward thinking,” Stephens said.

A search committee consisting of five groups provided insight and input into the selection. The committees spent time with each candidate during the interview process. The committees included administrators, community members, parents, staff and students.

In her recommendation to the school board, Stephens said Winter has experience in school improvement, school turnaround leadership, master scheduling, data analysis, professional learning communities, creativity and innovation leadership, PBIS and athletic direction.

Winter begins his new duties this month. He grew up in Wyoming, graduated from the University of Wyoming and then spent 12 years as a social studies and theater teacher and coached cross country and track coach. He then received a master’s degree in educational technology and received his certification as a principal. Before coming to Pahrump, Winter spent five years as an administrator, mostly in Wyoming.

Winter and his wife, who is also in education, have three children ranging in age from elementary school to college.

In other agenda items, the school board had a lengthy discussion with Stephens about the Career and Technical Education coordinator’s position and the long term plans for the program.

Stephens said there’s not a large pool of people interested or qualified for the position. The plan is to have the coordinator work on a 212-day contract.

“We’re under a lot of scrutiny from the public on the CTE program,” said trustee Tricia Dooley-Strasdin.

The district will look at a job description for the position and funding and discuss the CTE program at a future school board meeting.

The board approved replacing the weight-room floor at the high school. Trustees were told the current floor is old and holds too much bacteria, while a new type of flooring doesn’t hold bacteria.

A suggestion the floor being replaced during the first week of school brought a response from trustee Matt Hyde.

“I have a concern starting this the first month of school,” Hyde said. “Football needs to use the weight room.”