Wenzl Is New DHS Interim Principal

DAYTON - Dayton High School has a new Principal for the 2014-15 school year. Kate Wenzl comes to Dayton from Port Angeles, where she has been a school administrator for eight years.

Dayton Schools Superintendent Doug Johnson said that Wenzl was hired on an interim basis for the upcoming school year. She replaces Andy Maheras, who resigned in July.

Wenzl grew up in Davenport, Wash. She is a Washington State University graduate.

After teaching for several years in Port Angeles, she worked as an elementary school principal for six years and a middle school vice principal for two. She also worked for a time as a special education administrator.

Johnson said that the district received seven applications for the interim position, and was quickly narrowed to two before Wenzl was chosen.

Johnson also said that the school will begin a formal search process this fall for a long-term hire. "Kate may very well be part of that," he said. "Starting this fall we'll take some time to ask what an ideal principal looks like. Do we have that person here already?"

He said he hopes that a long-term high school principal will be hired by early spring.

Music Teacher Resigns

Johnson also told The Times that high school music teacher Scott Carson resigned last week to take a position in Grandview. The Dayton schools have begun the search process to replace Carson.

"We thought we had everyone hired," Johnson said of the long list of new hires in Dayton. As reported in The Times recently, the Dayton schools had an unusually high number of retirements this year, and have hired several new teachers and staff.

Among the new hires recently announced, Shayna Hutchens join the DHS staff this year as an English and history teacher. She fills a spot that came open when Mary Prior retired.

Angie Monyak has also been hired as the new food services supervisor. Monyak was most recently head caterer at Dayton General Hospital.

Bob Carroll, formerly a substitute bus driver, has been hired to replace Del Avery, who retired last year.

Johnson also said that the Dayton schools have filled all of their athletic coaching positions for the year.