New principals take over at Pioneer and Weiser Middle

Administrators recently welcomed two new educators to the Weiser School District.
 Kenneth Dewlen was named principal at Weiser Middle School and Sarah Hatfield, who holds a doctorate degree, is the new principal at Pioneer Elementary.
 Dewlen, a native of Coffeyville, Kansas, spent 25 years in the military, initially serving 11 years in the U.S. Army, followed by another 14 years in the U.S. Air Force where he served in, what he described as, a “Quality of Life” role.
 “If it made a family or an airman happy, it fell under me, whether it involved education, the library, or even the fitness center,” explained the optimistic, high-energy educator. “I loved it; it was busy all the time. I got to be a commander three times and being a commander is like being a principal or administrator, so I’m at home here.”
 He retired in 2014, achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel.
 During his military career, Dewlen, who currently commutes from Kuna near Boise, was stationed at bases in Germany and England, and eventually Mt. Home.
 After the military, he served as an Air Force ROTC instructor at a high school in Layton, Utah.
 Dewlen and wife, Michele, however, decided they wanted to make Idaho their home. They moved to the Treasure Valley, where he ultimately found a job doing substitute work at Sawtooth Middle School in Meridian and in the Parma School District for a time.
 He then went to work at the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections as a teacher/Work Base Learning Coordinator.
 After a year, he returned to Sawtooth Middle where he taught computer classes for the next three years.
 Dewlen said he got the chance he was waiting for when the opening at Weiser Middle School was announced last spring. The position became vacant when long-time educator and principal Tim Erhard retired.
 “This is my dream job; I couldn’t be happier,” he told the Weiser Signal American. “I love leading. And, I love middle school because it’s the prime area where kids can explore everything. Play any sport you want to play, take every class you want to take, and then when you get to high school, you start going along different tracts, and then you start figuring out, ‘I don’t like this, but I do want to pursue that.’”
 Dewlen has an impressive resume, holding six degrees in all, including two bachelor’s from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas; a master’s from the University of Oklahoma; a USAF master’s in Military Operational Art and Science; and two more from the University of Idaho.
 In 2019, at UI, he obtained a master’s in education, with an emphasis on educational leadership, and an Education Specialist Degree.
 He is certified as a K-12 school administrator.
 Dewlen said his educational philosophy centers around preparing kids for the future by providing them the support they need to be successful.
 “I believe we owe every student the opportunity to receive an education,” he said. “It’s our job to figure out where they are and assist them along their journey, and help them to engage in the different things they want to explore, and assist them in the learning process along the way.”
 Sarah Hatfield grew up just across the river in Ontario where she attended Ontario High School and played volleyball and basketball.
 Hatfield, who has an 11-year-old daughter, Allie, earned her teaching degree at Eastern Oregon University where she majored in business and minored in education.
 She landed her first job at Burns High School in Burns, Ore. where she taught business and computer classes.
 “I was going to be a doctor. I did two years of pre-med and said, ‘forget this,’” Hatfield told the Weiser Signal American, letting out a chuckle.
 She later moved on to Payette High School where she taught business for two years. She spent the next 12 years at Notus High School.
 In all, she spent 14 years as a business teacher and coached volleyball for 10 years, and basketball for six years.
 She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University, in Nampa, in 2013.
 Hatfield couldn’t help slapping her knee and laughing at the thought of receiving the title of “doctor.”
 “So, eventually, I did become a doctor,” she said. “It just wasn’t the doctor I thought I’d be.”
 Hatfield moved on from Notus to Craigmont, Idaho, located between Grangeville and Lewiston, where she spent seven years as superintendent and K-6 principal at the Highland Joint School District.
 During that time, her thoughts began shifting toward home where her family still lives, so when the job at Pioneer Elementary School became available last spring, she decided to apply.
“I was extremely happy when the opening came up,” Hatfield said. “I love elementary kids and being close to home is a huge bonus. All my family is here.”
 She replaces former principal Suzanna Dickman who, like Hatfield, left her job to be with family.
 Her philosophy as an educator is very similar to Dewlen’s, both stressing the importance of guiding kids through their educational journey.
 “I think our job as educators is to support the students as best we can,” Hatfield said. “We are here for the kids, trying to figure out what works for them, and each kid is different, so it’s going to look different for each kid, but it’s truly supporting them, and my job as a principal is to help support the teachers so they can support the kids.”