Sandstone Middle School Principal Larry Usher has been named the new activities and athletic director for the Hermiston School District.
Usher will assume his new duties starting July 1, and he will work from Hermiston High School.Usher was hired into Hermiston School District in 2002 as a high school social studies teacher. In 2010 Usher assumed the Dean of Students position at Sandstone, where he served for three-and-a-half years, and was then promoted to assistant principal. Usher was promoted to SMS principal in 2014.
Hermiston School Superintendent Dr. Fred Maiocco also announced that he will recommend Armand Larive Middle School Assistant Principal Lori Mills as the next SMS principal. Mills came to HSD in 2015 from Athena Weston Middle School in Weston, where she served as building principal. In addition, she served as the district’s assessment coordinator, curriculum director, and played an integral role in the development and coordination of such initiatives as talented and gifted programs and various curriculum adoptions.
The school board recently approved the hiring of Casey Ar stein as the HHS head boys’ basketball coach, Elise Fleming as the HHS volleyball coach, and Sean McClanahan as the HHS band director. Each hire was selected from a competitive applicant pool and an extensive interview/screening process.
Arstein will replace Dave Ego who stepped in as a one-year interim coach for the 2015-16 season. Arstein is a longtime Hermiston resident and HHS graduate, who has coached at many levels both at the high school and middle school. He also serves as the SMS physical education teacher.
Fleming comes to HSD from Kennewick, Wash., and will be a physical education teacher at Armand Larive Middle School, as well as HHS volleyball coach. She has a degree in Health and Fitness, with a secondary concentration.
McClanahan currently works for the Kiona Benton City School District as the instrumental/choral/drama teacher. He has been instructing music for 10 years, and he has a bachelor of arts in music education and a masters in conducting.
