Erickson named as new Superintendent for SSSD 150

At last week’s meeting, the Soda Springs School District #150 official named L.T. Erickson as the new superintendent of schools.  Erickson will replace Superintendent Scott Muir, who has accepted a position in the Aberdeen School District after 5 years in Soda Springs.

L.T. Erickson was previously the director of Federal Programs and School Safety and Security in the San Juan School District in Utah, where he oversaw district safety and security, and was the executive director of the district’s education foundation.  

He has also served Director of Secondary Programs in the Twin Falls School District, Junior High Principal and Director of Federal Programs and Technology in the Snake River District, Assistant Principal and AD in the American Falls School District, and teacher in Cassia County School District.  He holds a doctorate in educational leadership, a master’s in education leadership, and a bachelor’s in mathematics teacher education.

While Erickson is new to the area, residents had a chance to hear from him at a public candidate open house held earlier in the month.  

Asked what he would do to increase trust in the school district as the new superintendent, Erickson raised the importance of transparency between the school district and the citizens.  “Taking time to listen is very important,” he said.  

While not binding, of course, it’s worth noting that at the forum, Erickson was asked about a number of issues, including school consolidation, which was raised specifically in regards to the potential for reducing costs for the three districts. He acknowledged the difficult nature of the question, but noted that “I’ve been around Idaho long enough to know that communities love their schools, and athletics, no matter how big they are.  As far as consolidation, there are benefits but love of community schools is very important.  Financially, it probably makes sense, but for communities it doesn’t.”

Erickson also discussed the idea that “rigor” is built up system-wide, and that if values and concepts are shared vertically throughout the school system, it creates a “team approach” to increasing academic and behavioral rigor.

In terms of class size, he noted that the smaller the better, and that he would work to try to make them as focused as possible.

Erickson will take over stewardship of the district during a particularly rough time for education funding.  Nationally, economic forecasts are difficult to make as a number of international situations make market and resource predictions highly speculative.  Statewide, budget costs across the board have put enormous pressure on education at all levels, with higher education facing large tuition increases as pre-school and elementary programs face large cuts to program funding.

Facilities are an especially important concern moving forward for SSSD 150, as a recent bond issue that would have funded a new school building was rejected by voters as potentially too large of a financial burden.  

Issues outside that related to program funding, staffing, and a host of other concerns will also need to be addressed in short order.