SEELEY LAKE - Parents and community members will have an opportunity to meet the candidates who are applying to be Seeley-Swan High School’s new principal for next school year. Attendees can ask candidates questions and provide feedback to those doing the hiring. The meet-n-greet will take place from 5 - 6 p.m. Friday, April 30 in the school’s large gym. Masks will be required.
The five candidates, in alphabetical order, and their experience are the following:
Daniel Grabowska received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history from Montana State University in 1994 as well as a Master of Education degree in 2000.
He worked as an English teacher for Big Piney High School in Big Piney, Wyoming from 1994-1996. He also worked as an English and social studies teacher at Cascade High School and Middle School in Cascade, Montana from 1996-2000. From 2000-2002 he worked as the superintendent and principal for Whitewater School District in Whitewater, Montana.
He then became the interim superintendent for Salmon School District in Salmon, Idaho between February and June of 2002 before acting as the high school principal from 2002-2004. He worked as Salmon School District’s actual superintendent from 2004-2007.
He acted as the principal for Florence-Carlton School District in Florence, Montana from 2007-2014. Since 2014 he has worked as the superintendent for schools in Park City, Montana.
Shawn Holmes majored in industrial education and minored in history when he graduated from University of Montana Western in 1987. He earned his Master of Arts degree in guidance and counseling from Montana State University - Northern in 1999. He also received an administrative endorsement from University of Montana Missoula in 2006.
He taught fifth grade and grades 9-12 at Whitehall District Schools in Whitehall, Michigan from 1989-1993. For the 1994-1995 school year, he taught grades 7-12 and adult education at Drummond District Schools in Drummond, Montana. From 1995-present he has worked as a teacher, lead teacher, counselor and activities director for Seeley-Swan High School.
Edward Norman received an Associate of Science degree in design technology from LeTourneau University in 1984. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and Biblical arts while minoring in health education and coaching from Northwestern College in 1988. Norman received a Master of Educational Leadership from University of Montana in 2003.
Norman worked as a health enhancement and physical education teacher at Big Sky High School in Missoula from 1993-1994 and 1995-2004. Between 1994-1995 he was the health enhancement and physical education teacher at Hellgate High School, also in Missoula.
He was the high school activities director at Florence-Carlton High School in Florence, Montana from 2004-2005. He acted as Florence-Carlton Middle School’s principal from 2004-2007.
He worked as the assistant principal for Moscow High School in Moscow, Idaho from 2007-2009 as well as the principal for John Russell Elementary and Paradise Creek Regional Alternative High School also in Moscow from 2009-2014. He operated as Laurel High School’s principal in Laurel, Montana from 2014-2017.
Norman worked as the assistant principal for Havre High School in Havre, Montana from 2017-2018. Since 2018 he has worked as the school’s principal.
John Stilson received a Master of Education degree in Secondary English from Western Washington University in 2003 as well as a Master of Education degree in educational administration from Montana State University in 2015.
He worked as a teacher for Helena High School in Helena, Montana from 2011-2015 and has worked as an administrator for Central School, also based in Helena, since 2015.
Thomas Vail earned a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Montana State University Bozeman and a Master of School Administration and Educational Leadership from Western Carolina University.
He worked as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Riverside High School in Boardman, Oregon from 1998-2001. He also taught ESL at Clayton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina from 2001-2002.
He was a world and U.S. history teacher at Middle Creek High School in Raleigh from 2002-2003. He taught ESL for grades 6-12 at Asheville High School in Asheville, North Carolina from 2003-2004. He was a social studies teacher at McGee’s Crossroads Middle School in Raleigh from 2004-2005.
He taught world and U.S. history at East High School in Anchorage, Alaska from 2005-2008. He acted as the principal for grades 9-12 at Kicking Horse Job Corps Center in Ronan, Montana from 2009-2013. He was an adjunct professor for Carroll College in Helena, Montana from 2015-2016.
Vail acted as the principal for grades K-12 at White Sulphur Springs Schools in White Sulphur Springs, Montana from 2013-2016. He also worked as the principal for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade at Annette Island School District in Metlakatla, Alaska from 2016-2017. He operated as the K-12 principal at Chatham School District in Angoon, Alaska from 2017-2018.
His most recent position has been working as the superintendent for Judith Gap School District in Judith Gap, Montana since 2018.
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