Alexandria School District hires new superintendent

At its October 15 meeting, the Alexandria School Board voted unanimously to hire Richard (Rick) Lahn, as the new superintendent of Alexandria School District 206.

Lahn (pronounced "lane") will begin his new post January 1, 2013, replacing current superintendent, Dr. Terry Quist, who will retire from the district at the end of December.

Lahn currently serves as superintendent of Princeton Public Schools, a position he has held since 2009. He has 25 years of experience serving as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, dean of students, and teacher in both public and private schools in Minnesota.

He is a graduate of North Dakota State University, with MS and specialist degrees from St. Cloud State University, and he has been a Bush Educators Fellow with the Carlson School of Management at the University of

Minnesota.

He is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Sherburne County United Way. He received a Principal’s Leadership Award from the Central Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals in 2002, and a Distinguished Service Award for a “Living and Learning” school to

community connections program in 2011.

“Rick Lahn has a strong record of achievement for championing successful programs that enhance academic growth,” said board chair Dean Anderson. “The board looks forward to working with him on the important initiatives ahead as defined in our strategic vision and action plan.”

Contract terms for Lahn include a three-year contract with a salary of $143,000 with 1.75 percent increase each of the next two years.

District leaders said the components in the contract are consistent with previous superintendent contracts with the exception of shifting to a paid time off (PTO) model instead of separate days for sick leave, vacation, and emergency leave. The contract also requests an

exchange of days with Princeton to allow Lahn to work in District 206 for up to 10 days prior to January 1 so he can transition with retiring Superintendent Quist. After January 1, Lahn will have days in Princeton to assist with their transition.

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