Box Elder superintendent moves on to Lewistown

Box Elder Superintendent Tom Peck said Tuesday he has taken a job as the next Lewistown school district superintendent and will leave after the school year is over.

Peck’s last day is June 30.

During a special meeting of the Box Elder school board Monday, the board approved a motion that if a replacement superintendent is not been found by the end of June, Principal Jeremy McDonald will be interim Super-intendant until one is found. The board also passed a motion to advertise Peck’s job.

Peck, who has been superintendent at Box Elder for two years, said after the meeting that moving is not something he planned, adding that he had just bought a house in Box Elder. But the Lewistown superintendent is retiring, Peck said, and he was fortunate enough to get an interview.

Family also played a role in Peck’s decision, he said. His mom is moving to the Lewistown area and his sister already lives there.

A lot of good things happened during his stint at Box Elder, Peck said.

Attendance rose 12 percent, graduation rate increased by 20 percent and many different activities were added, he said. Robotics, cross-country and golf are all new since his arrival, he said, as well as a journalism class that was added this year. The Bear Report is the name of the school newspaper.

This year’s band will be the first in recent years to perform in the upcoming District 7 Music Festival, Peck said. Last year, Box Elder hosted their first playoff football game. For the first time in eight years, Box Elder cheerleading had made a comeback. In 2016, Box Elder was recognized by the Great Falls Tribune as the north-central school of the year, Peck said.

His departure is bittersweet, he said.

“I’m going to miss these kids. Oh, man, big time,” he said.

Since the Lewistown district is larger, Peck said, he is worried he’ll lose contact with the students there.

He will miss the staff the most, he said.