Some of the most visible employees in the Coos Bay School District are going to have new offices next fall.

Superintendent Bob De La Vergne tapped Athletic Director Greg Mulkey to take over as principal at Marshfield High School, while Jon Mishra will move from principal of Sunset Middle School to become the high school’s dean of students. Dale Inskeep will replace Mishra at Sunset, with current MHS principal Travis Howard taking over at Bunker Hill Elementary School.

De La Vergne said he decided to make the changes in light of the financial challenges facing the district.

“When you are facing tough times, you want to utilize your people’s strengths in the key positions,” he said. “This is the best fit for Coos Bay.”

The superintendent didn’t explain how personnel changes would help the district financially. Board member Wally Hazen said today the decision has nothing to do with saving money.

“It’s just a matter of putting the right person in the right job,” Hazen said.

The district’s human resource specialist, Donna Thomas, said she had not been notified of any changes in the men’s salaries.

 De La Vergne pointed to the need for Mulkey’s organizational skills and Mishra’s focus at the high school; Inskeep’s student leadership at Sunset and Howard’s ability to develop relationships with children as warranting the moves. The administrators learned about the change last week and still were trying to get used to the idea Monday.

Mishra and Inskeep both said they would miss their current assignments but look forward to the challenge of going to new schools.

“I love Bunker Hill. It feels like a family here,” Inskeep said, who has spent five years as principal at the school. “But I’m excited about going to Sunset. I like new challenges.”

Both have some experience working with the age groups they will soon find themselves immersed in.

Mishra worked at a high school in Washington state, where he was in charge of special education, athletics, facilities, discipline and middle school transitions. Inskeep helped guide middle school students back into the classroom who had been expelled as part of a program he started at the old Englewood school. He also served as dean of students at the high school for five years.

Mulkey has served as MHS athletic director for seven years. He also took on the duties of dean of students last fall, which he said would help him in this transition period.

“Having that experience is really going to help me a lot because I know what it takes to be in those two positions,” he said.

Mulkey also previously served for five years as principal at Sunset, the position Howard served in before taking over at Marshfield in 2006.

Mishra joined the district that year as the Sunset principal and though he has strong feelings for the middle school, he sees positive things at the high school, too.

“I consider myself a middle school person, but being at MHS would be an enjoyable experience for me,” he said.

The changes won’t go into effect until next fall, though all four administrators expect to spend some time familiarizing themselves with their future roles. Inskeep said he included a letter in the school newsletter letting parents know about the change and encouraging them to introduce themselves if they see Howard at the high school. Inskeep likewise plans to spend some time at Sunset before he takes over in the fall.