LaCroix appointed to UW board

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Brad LaCroix hopes to use his new appointment to the University of Wyoming board of trustees to make stronger connections between the school and communities across the state and to improve the services the university offers to both students and their families. 
“The role we play in the future of those students is very important, because those students are the future of Wyoming,” said LaCroix, superintendent of Weston County School District No. 1, in a Jan. 16 press release. “I’ve been blessed to work with some of the finest young people this state has produced over the past two decades, and I am honored to be able to work for our young people on this board.” 
LaCroix told the News Letter Journal that he was genuinely shocked by the appointment. He said that when he was first contacted about the board opening, he believed they were looking for recommendations, not looking at him. 
“It is truly the people that I have worked with that got me here. They probably have done more to set this up than anything I’ve done,” LaCroix said. “The Bob Bonnars, Bill Lamberts, John Rieslands and Tom Wrights of the world – those people that I have worked with on boards. The longer you do this, the more people you know, and this is about the relationships.” 
He noted that his education experience doesn’t hurt when it comes to taking on a role as university board member. 
A Lead (South Dakota) High School graduate, LaCroix remained in the Black Hills while receiving his bachelor’s degree in science education at Black Hills State University, before beginning his career in education in 1990 when he took a position in Palm Springs, California, as a physical education teacher and girls basketball coach. 
In 1993, LaCroix returned to the Black Hills, as assistant principal and activities director at Newcastle High School before becoming principal a year later. He remained principal for four years before he was selected as superintendent. 
LaCroix’s extensive history in one of Wyoming’s school districts makes him a great candidate for the position, Gov. Mark Gordon said in the release, who appointed LaCroix, with the consent of the Wyoming State Senate. 
“He brings extensive experience working in Wyoming schools and has a strong grasp of the challenges that confront education,” Gordon said in a press release dated Jan. 16. “He also has a deep understanding of our state’s rural communities and their needs, and he recognizes the importance of having better alignment in Wyoming’s education system from K-12 through the university.” 
LaCroix will fill the term of Wava Tully, of Lusk, who resigned. The term extends to 2025. 
The UW board of trustees consists of 12 members appointed to six-year, staggered terms. As the governing body, the trustees have a broad range of responsibilities, including major policy and budgetary oversight. 
“I hope overall that this experience is good for all Wyoming students and of course the university. That
is the goal, to make sure that the facility stays intact with all of the same offerings. It is a big part of Wyoming,” LaCroix said.