Hansen leaving Lewiston schools, to head west
Award-winning superintendent hired for samejob at Kennewick
Lance Hansen, who helped usher in several significant changes during his 17 years with the Lewiston School District, has been hired to lead a school district in Washington’s Tri-Cities.
Hansen, Lewiston’s superintendent, was tapped for the same job at the Kennewick School District, it was announced Friday.
Hansen will serve out his contract at Lewiston, which goes until June 30, and start at Kennewick on July 1.
Hansen, 55, said he wasn’t seeking a new job, but when he was told about Kennewick’s opening and that he might be a good fit for it, he decided to investigate and eventually applied.
The Kennewick district is huge, with nearly 20,000 students in its schools. He said the community is “very similar to Lewiston. It stresses education and values education.”
“I’m looking forward to apply some of the strategies and powerful practices that have worked for us in the Lewiston School District to their system in a way that will be value added to what they already have in place,” Hansen said in a phone interview with the Tribune on Friday evening.
Hansen joined the Lewiston School District in 2008 as Lewiston High’s vice principal. He was promoted to principal in 2011, assistant superintendent in 2013 and superintendent in 2021.
During that time, the district convinced its patrons to approve the building of a new Lewiston High, and it was later augmented by the DeAtley Career Technical Education Center. During this school year, new athletic facilities were unveiled at the high school. Test scores have also improved, and LHS students now have “a plethora of educational offerings,” Hansen said.
“I’m most proud of all of the things that we’ve accomplished to ensure that our kids are getting the very best opportunity to excel in whatever they choose to do. All of those things only came to fruition because of the relationship that our community has with our schools, our school district, our staff. I’m proud of that, probably more than anything.”
Hansen was recently named the Idaho Superintendent of the Year by the Idaho Association of School Administrators.
Hansen graduated from Challis High School in south central Idaho and the University of Idaho. He worked as a teacher and coach at Emmett High and Moscow High before coming to Lewiston.
Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2251. Follow him on X @MattBaney_Trib.
