BSM hires new Assistant Principal and Dean

With Assistant Principal and Junior and Senior Dean Ms. Mary Anderson retiring from BSM, Ms. Cami Dahlstrom was recently hired to join the BSM community as the new Freshman/Sophomore Dean and Senior High Assistant Principal.

Dahlstrom has worked as a teacher for fourteen years. Attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, Dahlstrom majored in biology and minored in chemistry. Dahlstrom received her Master’s degree in education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and she earned her Principal’s license at the University of St. Mary’s. She taught biology at Robbinsdale Cooper High School and was a principal for Robbinsdale’s summer program before coming to BSM. “I was looking for a little bit of a smaller setting and a community feel and I think I found it here,” Dahlstrom said.

To find Dahlstrom, the faculty and staff went through a thorough process to make sure that the best candidate would be taking over the position. After posting that they were looking for a new assistant principal, they did a little work of their own to find someone just right for the job. “The real secret to finding the right person is you have to go out and work your networks. So, you call people and ask who’s out there, who might be interested, who would you recommend, and then what you get [are] people who might not be looking for a job or looking to move, but yet if you tap them on the shoulder they would be interested in coming to the school,” Senior High Principal Dr. Susan Skinner said.

After applying, the applicants go through an interview process. A team of faculty and staff teamed together to interview the applicants. The applicants went through two rounds of interviews with the team, and after the interviews, they interviewed with Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut.  “We check references and do sort of a full vetting of the applicant,” Skinner said.

Throughout the interview process, many characteristics are looked for in an applicant. The new assistant principal has to be a person that can fit into and benefit the BSM community. “When I think about the role of an assistant principal, I am looking for someone who supports students, wants the best for students, works hard for students and makes it their goal to help students grow and to learn. Someone who loves the school life buys into our mission, willing to go the extra mile for students and families and works well with teachers,” Skinner said.

Now with Dahlstrom as the new dean, Mr. Seborn Yancy, Assistant Principal and Freshmen and Sophomore Dean, will become the Junior and Senior Dean.

Skinner is ready for the future of having Dahlstrom at BSM. “I’m excited because she brings an energy that can really add to the value we have here. She likes high school students. She has a proven track record of working well with students and parents. She loves the mission.  She is a faith-filled woman and so I think when she comes in the fall, she’ll feel at home pretty quickly. She wants to make those connections, she’s very collaborative. She is always looking for ways to best serve students and families,” Skinner said.

Dahlstrom is ready to join the BSM community. “Everybody I’ve met has been super welcoming so that’s really exciting. Everybody’s pretty laid-back here but it feels like students are very focused and driven which I’m excited to see and feel and witness,” Dahlstrom said.