May 28, 2024
BUSSEY, IA — The Twin Cedars Community School District Board of Directors has named three finalists in its search for the district’s next secondary principal. The finalists are Tom Hallgren, Jim Mollison, and Nick Stout.
Currently, Hallgren serves as a high school English teacher in the Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont CSD. He is a member of the secondary building leadership team, a Professional Learning Community (PLC) leader for the language arts department, and the assistant activities director. Hallgren notably led the formation and management of the Behavioral Student Assistance Committee to support student behavior. He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership with principal licensure from Viterbo University. Previously, Hallgren was a high school English teacher in the Cardinal CSD.
As assistant director of student services in the Ankeny CSD, Mollison serves as the administrative supervisor of the alternative credit recovery program and is the district’s dropout prevention services coordinator and homeless liaison. Mollison holds an education specialist degree, a master’s degree in education, and secondary principal and superintendent licenses from Drake University. His leadership experience includes serving as interim high school vice principal in the Ames CSD and principal of Valley High School in the West Des Moines Public Schools.
Stout currently serves as a social studies teacher in the Ottumwa CSD, where he has designed and taught several dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses and serves as the social studies department chair and building leadership representative. Additionally, Stout is a doctoral assistant at Drake University, teaching an Introduction to Gifted Education course while pursuing a doctoral degree in education, expected December 2024. He recently completed a master’s degree in educational administration from Northwestern College. Previously, Stout was a special education teacher in Ottumwa.
As a next step, the board and community member interview teams will conduct final interviews with each of the three finalists on Wednesday, May 29. The board then plans to discuss the candidates and reach a final decision soon after the formal interviews. The next principal will officially begin leading Twin Cedars Junior/Senior High School on July 1, 2024.
