Lake City High announces new principal
COEUR d'ALENE — Bryan Kelly has been selected as Lake City High School’s principal for the 2025-26 school year.
The Coeur d'Alene School District announced Wednesday that Kelly, who currently serves as assistant principal, will take the reins from Deanne Clifford, who will retire in July after serving as Lake City’s principal for 15 years.
“Mr. Kelly is very deserving of this position," Clifford said in the news release. "He is one of those rare leaders who inspires students and adults to meet their full potential. He makes every decision based on his core value to do what is in the best interest of students."
District leadership will present this recommendation to the Coeur d'Alene School Board for consideration and approval at its regular meeting in February.
Kelly, a 1995 Lake City High School graduate, has served as Lake City’s assistant principal since 2016. Prior to his current leadership role, he taught social studies and served as chair of the Lake City High Social Studies Department. He also served as principal of eSchool CDA for two years (2020-21 and 2021-22). He then returned to Lake City when that school was relocated to Venture Academy.
As well as being an assistant principal, Kelly serves in leadership roles on numerous community, state and Coeur d'Alene School District committees to improve teaching and learning across Idaho. He works with teams at the state level to provide quality leadership training for administrators, especially at the high school level. He is passionate about school safety and student wellness and works to ensure students have access to high-quality educational opportunities.
Kelly was selected as the 2024 State of Idaho Assistant Principal of the Year by the Idaho Association of School Administrators Board of Directors based on his strong leadership qualities and exceptional ability to help create a learning environment that empowers students to be active participants in their educations and encourages a school culture that focuses on student well-being and safety, the announcement said.
“Our district is committed to providing the very best education possible for every one of our students,” Coeur d'Alene School District Superintendent Shon Hocker said in the news release. “Under Deanne Clifford’s exceptional leadership, Lake City High School staff have done just that. On behalf of our entire district, we thank Deanne for her dedication and commitment to each and every Lake City student that has passed through the halls over the last 15 years. And we wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement!”
Hocker said Kelly brings with him a wealth of experience, a strong vision for Lake City High and a deep commitment to supporting students, families and staff.
"His leadership as principal will help ensure our students, staff and LCHS community continue to grow and thrive as they have done for years," Hocker said.