Spokane man named HHS principal

Mike Haugen, a teacher who performs administrative tasks at Gonzaga preparatory School in Spokane, Washington, will be the next principal at Havre High School.

School Superintendent Andy Carlson said he offered Haugen the position Thursday afternoon, and he accepted.

Haugen is a Chinook native and his wife hails from Havre.

Carlson said Haugen was an assistant football and basketball coach for the Blue Ponies in the 1980s while he was teaching at St. Jude Thaddeus School.

“I think we were impressed with his teaching and instructional background,” he said.

“This was not an easy decision” he said. “We had three real good candidates.”

Haugen beat out Tim Tharp, superintendent of Sunburst Public Schools and Ken Larson, principal at Conrad High School.

Haugen will start in Havre in the fall.

Haugen will have a lot on his plate when he gets to Havre, Carlson said, but his first priority will be to get to know the staff and students.

Haugen will replace Craig Mueller, who was named assistant superintendent at the start of the school year.

Mueller and Assistant Principal Kipp Lewis have shared principal duties since then.