Reorganization ends Strom era
Wednesday, July 26, 1989
By Al Camp, Omak-Okanogan Chronicle
 
A reorganization in Okanogan High School's hierarchy has eliminated the positions of athletic director, student activity director and middle school principal. 
School board members began exploring administrative and curriculum changes in March after district voters approved a special levy. They have since created a new position of assistant principal in charge of student affairs, which includes duties previously held by the athletic director and activity director.
Jim Strom, athletic director for 12 years, will teach social studies full time.
Sixth grade teacher Steve Chamberlin, who had been the activity director, will continue teaching sixth grade at Virginia Grainger Elementary.
Dean Radke, who was middle school principal, has been appointed elementary principal.
When the levy passed it meant the district could add a sixth grade class, a history class and a geography class, said district superintendent Richard Johnson.
A problem arose because there was not enough room in the high school-middle school building to accommodate the new classes. The school board decided to return sixth-graders to Virginia Grainger, where they were two years ago.
That decision meant Chamberlin would be out of the secondary building and unable to carry on his duties as activity director, Johnson explained.
Another change was the creation of an assistant high school principal's position and elimination of the middle school principal's post. The board anticipates saving $22,000 by having the position include the duties of athletic director and student activities director.
The new position, which pays $46,000, was filled by the school board last week by Lamoin Merkley, 44. He was full-time athletic director in the Moses Lake School District the last six years.
School board chairwoman Bonnie Hill said Strom had been telling administrators for about three years that he wanted out of the athletic director's position.
"We needed to beef up our social studies department in order for these kids to graduate and be admitted to state schools," said Hill, alluding to difficulties some students have had with college admissions.
"In some respects he was a good athletic director and others I'm not so sure," said Hill. "I think he is an excellent teacher and that is where he should be."
But Dale Linklater, head football coach until his contract was terminated this spring by the board, said "I think there's a lot of experience going to waste."
"I sent a memo to the superintendent asking that Jim stay on one more year to break in the new person," said high school principal Bob Spiering, who said Strom talked for several years about getting out of the athletic director's position. "I do think the assistant principal is the best way to go, but having Jim available for consultation and training also is the best way to go."
"I think Jim felt he was helping the school and kids out" by being athletic director, said Spiering.

Strom retirement coming
Strom, who has seven years until retirement, will go from teaching four periods of social studies to juniors and seniors to a full load of six periods.
"I've coached football at the high school and ninth grade level for 22 years," said Strom, who also helped Linklater with coaching the football team. "I've coached track for 20 years and basketball 11 years.
"I've been at Okanogan High School for 23 years," said Strom, who graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1964 and served two years in the Army as an officer. "This is the only place I've been."
But, he says that what bothers him is that he "wasn't asked" if he wanted to be athletic director next year. "I was told I wasn't going to be," said Strom, who was named the state's co-athletic director of the year in 1987.
Strom, who does not hold administrative credentials, would not have been eligible for the new assistant principal's position.
"I wouldn't have taken the new position," said Strom, who has been the school's only athletic director since the position was created during the Pock administration. "I enjoy teaching too much. I look forward to full-time teaching. It's not like it's all bad."

Chamberlin's class moves
Chamberlin says his job as activity director "was basically lost when I left the building." He will teach sixth grade at Virginia Grainger this fall.
The activity director's duties included middle school and high school student council, and planning and directing all activities inside the school complex.
"It was fun, I enjoyed it and I had some great kids to work with," said Chamberlin. "But I'm a sixth grade teacher. That's what I'm paid to do."
Chamberlin's salary as activity director, which lasted one year, was paid by a federal block grant.
"I enjoyed the new middle school but I'm comfortable in teaching sixth grade at Virginia Grainger," said Chamberlin.