HEM's principal meet and greet

When Steve Priest, the former principal of Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow, (HEM) High School indicated his last day would be in late September, a committee was created to recommend to the Carbon County School District No 2 (CCSD2) board a candidate(s). On Thursday night, the efforts of this committee bore fruit. The committee was made up of 17 individuals, including two students from HEM and they narrowed the candidates down to one. 

Eli Hobbs.

Hobbs was not only to be interviewed by the committee but the night was also a meet and greet for the parents and community members who were interested in the candidate.

CCSD2 Superintendent Darrin Jennings said the evening went very well. "We had a lot of people on this committee because we wanted to do it right and be inclusive as best we could," Jennings said. "We had great people on the committee including two students from HEM, who were fantastic."

Jennings was pleasantly surprised by freshmen Corbin Williams and Samuel Ramirez. "By far the best group of kids do an interview I have seen," Jennings said. "They did research, they asked their classmates and totally bought into the process. They listed all the things they wanted in their next principal."

Jennings gathered all the information that was being put forth on what the committee should look for and want in the next principal. 

"We invited the community and there were more people here for the principal selection than I believe there was for the superintendent interviews," Jennings said. "The community, based on the evaluations they gave me and the information given to me by the committee was very favorable about Mr. Hobbs being chosen as the next principal at HEM."

Jennings said he made a suggestion to the board of trustees based on the information he has been given.

"I will make the recommendation, to the board, that Mr. Hobbs be selected as the next principal and then it will be their decision on if he is chosen or not," Jennings said. "We had board members on the committee too."

Jennings said the position for principal is a yearly contract. 

The process is now complete, as far as the committee making its recommendation, but Jennings again pointed out how impressed he was with the HEM students who participated.

"I can't say enough about those kids, they were amazing," Jennings said. "I don't want to discredit any other kid who has  served on any panel in the past, but their articulation was probably better than mine. They were well versed, did a good job and I was very proud of them."

Jennings feels good about recommending Hobbs to the board of trustees.

"One of our committee members said it best," Jennings said. "The love Mr. Hobbs has for kids, is amazing. He needs to be given an opportunity to lead our school on that alone."