Homegrown leader — District promotes teacher, Newcastle graduate to leadership

A Newcastle High School graduate who returned home to teach will become Weston County School District No. 1’s next director of special education after receiving approval from the board of trustees on May 27.

Devin Dickey, currently a third grade teacher, will step into the district wide leadership role for the 2026-27 school year. The position became available after the board declined on April 8 to renew the contract of Taren Olson. The position oversees programs and services for students with disabilities.

Before returning to Newcastle, Dickey spent five years teaching special education. After coming home, he taught fifth grade for four years, fourth grade for two years and third grade for one year. He said he had planned to move into an elementary special education position before deciding to apply for the director’s role.

District officials said Dickey’s background in both general and special education made him a strong fit for the position.

“Mr. Dickey has experience in both a general education setting and a special education setting making him a well-rounded Special Education Director,” Human Resources Director Taylor Borgialli said in a statement. “He believes in a ‘whole school’ approach to meet the needs of all students.”

Borgialli said Dickey prioritizes “what’s best for kids” and wants to be “an instructional leader that communicates well and supports staff and students.”

Dickey said he wants to support both teachers and students as an administrator.

“I pursued educational leadership so I could help facilitate systems to assist teachers and improve student learning,” he said.

A graduate of Black Hills State University, Dickey earned degrees in elementary education and special education because he wanted to be prepared to serve all students he taught.

“I continue to want every student to succeed in all environments,” he told the News Letter Journal.

As he prepares to leave the classroom, Dickey said he will miss watching students grow academically and personally throughout the school year. Those experiences reinforced his belief that neither a disability nor an individualized education program defines a student and that all children can succeed when given the right opportunities and support.

“Watching a group of students come into a classroom every day and grow academically and as people is a connection that is hard to explain,” he said. 

He said students with disabilities need the same thing all students need: a strong team committed to seeing them as individuals and helping them succeed. 

Dickey said he hopes parents know that he and the district’s special education staff care deeply about their children and are committed to working with families to make decisions in each student’s best interest.

Dickey and his wife, Elyse, who teaches special education in the district, grew up in Newcastle and jumped at the opportunity to return home to teach. According to Dickey, the couple wanted their children to experience the same sense of community and belonging they enjoyed growing up.

“We both grew up in Newcastle, where we were given a great sense of belonging and community,” he said. “We had the opportunity to teach in other districts and towns, but none of which felt like home.”

Dickey said he is grateful for the chance to help maintain that sense of community for future generations.

Superintendent Brad LaCroix told the NLJ that Dickey brings enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to the district’s administrative team. He anticipates that Dickey will bring new ideas and a willingness to ask questions about how the district can better serve students and staff.

“It’s always fun to watch and it’s fun to mentor,” LaCroix said.

LaCroix said the district’s goal is to ensure that students receive the support they need, families feel their children are safe and included, and staff have the resources necessary to help students succeed.

Dickey said his first priority will be learning from the district’s special education staff and building on the program’s existing strengths. He said that since he accepted the position, many people have approached him and shared that the special education team is excellent, and he would like to work with staff to continue to build that reputation.

“I believe that it is important to celebrate this success, but to always be looking for opportunities for improvement,” he said. “I will work with the staff to find areas they believe this growth should take place while I make sure we are staying compliant with state statutes.”

Looking ahead, he said he hopes to support educators while maintaining strong services for students.

“I want to help reduce the mental burden teachers face while retaining a high level of education for our students,” he said.

At the same time, LaCroix said, he anticipates challenges, like there are with any other change, and he believes Dickey will handle those well.

The board also approved posting the elementary special education teaching position Dickey vacated.

Beyond the classroom

Weston County School District No. 1’s incoming director of special education, Devin Dickey, said many teachers influenced his approach to education.

Asked which teacher had the biggest impact on him, Dickey said he could not choose just one.

“After much thought, it was impossible for me to pick just one,” he said. “There are so many qualities that I try to emulate in my own classroom and life that I have learned from teachers I have had through my educational journey.”

Students also know Dickey for interests outside school, including 3D printing, sports, music and video games. Those hobbies have often helped spark conversations and connections in the classroom, he said.

Staffing changes

The Weston County School District No. 1 trustees also approved Loleen Carter as a sixth grade teacher at Newcastle Middle School. NMS Principal Tyler Bartlett told trustees that Carter, who has an elementary education endorsement, will teach sixth grade science, sixth grade reading, and a sixth grade elective. The board also accepted Superintendent Brad LaCroix’s recommendation to accept Kylie Carson for the eighth through 12th grade agriculture and welding teacher and the adviser for FFA. Carson’s FFA duties begin in July. Allen Von Eye has stepped down as the NMS head track coach.

At its May 12 meeting, the board approved making Sally Hoover the Newcastle High School head cross country coach, Brealynn Terry as an elementary school counselor, pending licensure, and Joe Johnson as NMS principal, pending certification with the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board, which issues educator licenses in Wyoming.

At its June 10 meeting, the board is slated to approve the district’s recommendation to name Sonja Karp as the Newcastle High School head swim coach and Robyn Stanton, who is currently NMS assistant track coach, to be the NMS head track coach. The agenda also includes recommending Sonya Young to be a kitchen assistant.