Hermiston School District is offering a “meet and greet” event with the final candidates for the Sunset Elementary principal’s position.
The successful applicant will replace current principal, Devin Grigg, whose resignation becomes effective at the end of the school year. The community and district staff members are invited to the meet and greet session scheduled for Thursday, April 20, in Sunset’s library from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m.
After a thorough recruitment process the district received a broad applicant pool. Finalists were selected based on their ability to successfully demonstrate the required and desired characteristics identified by staff and community stakeholders.
Meet and greet attendees are asked to remain for the entire duration, in order to meet all candidates and provide feedback to the selection committee through anonymous comment cards.
The four finalists are:
Lisa Arriaga
Arriaga obtained her certification in educational administration from Western Governors University; has a master’s of science degree with a minor in elementary reading; a bachelor’s of arts degree in education with a major in elementary education and a minor in English as a Second Language from Heritage College.
Arriaga started her career as an elementary teacher from 1997-2004. Arriaga served as an ELL specialist, instructional coach and avid teacher from 2004 to 2014, and served as a testing facilitator/interventionist in the Washington Schools from 2014-1015. Arriaga is currently serving as the assistant principal at Sandstone Middle School.
Eric Fuchs
Fuchs has an initial administrator license, reading endorsement and a master of arts in teaching degree from George Fox University, and an ESOL endorsement from Portland State University.
Since 1998, Fuchs has been a third, fourth, and fifth-grade teacher. He was part of a collaborative team that helped develop 150 math items for the Smarter Balanced Assessment. He helped create a mentor program in the Newberg School District, was part of the Regional Rural School Network and participated in a forum that discussed issues related to the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
Christie Petersen
Petersen has a license as an initial administrator and a continuing education/ superintendent license and Ed.D. from George Fox University; a master’s degree in early and middle school regular and special education (reading endorsement) from Regent University.
Petersen is currently a school improvement coach for Education NW Network. She is an assistant professor at Corban University; an adjunct professor at George Fox University for Educational Leadership, and an administrative consultant for school support teams, educational specialists II for federal systems and assessment teams for the Office of Educational Improvement—for the Oregon Department of Education.
Stephanne Seals
Seals obtained her master’s degree in educational administration and supervision from Wichita State University; received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education with a middle level endorsement in social studies from Friends University.
Seals was a teacher at a magnet school from 1995-2002, was an administrative intern and teacher at a middle school from 2002-2005; a middle school campus support and learning coach from 2005-2008 and is currently an assistant middle school principal for the Wichita Public Schools.
