Julie Hunter has been appointed as principal of Mount Rainier High School, effective July 1. Ms. Hunter is currently an assistant principal at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

Ms. Hunter's background makes her highly qualified to serve in this position, including extensive experience in leading International Baccalaureate (IB) programs and small learning communities, as well as experience working with a diverse student population.

She served as assistant principal at Kent Meridian High School for three years, where she coordinated the IB and AVID college prep programs. She was a teacher leader at Foster High School during the conversion to small learning communities, and was head of the Tukwila Teachers' Association.

Ms. Hunter earned her B.A. at Pacific Lutheran University and her Master's degree at University of Puget Sound. Her principal certification is from Central Washington University.

Heidi Geise will continue to serve as interim principal at Mount Rainier through the end of this year.

"I want to thank Heidi for her leadership of Mount Rainier this year," says Superintendent John Welch. "Heidi has gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the smooth operation of Mount Rainier, and she has continued the strong focus on academic excellence."