Arlee admin shuffle: District starts year with new superintendent and principal

Cory Beckham, who spent four years as Arlee Junior High and High Principal principal, has stepped into the role of Arlee Superintendent of Schools. He’s enthusiastic about the leap but said he hadn’t actively sought the promotion. 

The job opened up at the end of last year when former Superintendent Mike Perry was recruited to serve as associate dean for the University of Montana’s College of Education.

Beckham said one of the goals for this year at Arlee Joint School District will be a continuation of a plan to add reading and literary consultants to the district. 

He believes that education “is a collaborative effort that involves teachers, staff, parents/guardians, and community. Together we can create a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages our students to reach their highest potential.” 

Instilling in every student the understanding that failure is an integral part of life’s journey is a central educational aim of Becham’s. As long as students remain determined, “Failures serve as signposts guiding us towards improvement,” he said. “The dedicated staff here stands ready to guide them towards achievement.”  

And now students will have new classrooms in which they can work harder since Arlee’s construction project at the current time is on schedule.

“It’s exciting,” Beckham said, to see the third to sixth grade learning environment and parking, drop-off, and bus loop take shape.

Beckham, his wife Jade, and daughters Baylor and McCall, are proud to call this valley home. “Much like many fellow Montanans, I enjoy the outdoors and seize every opportunity to immerse myself in its beauty,” Beckham said. 

Although he will miss his daily office full of students, he expects to impact more students as superintendent. Beckham is anticipating a great school year, academically and on the sports fields and gym floors. 

“I rally behind our Warriors and Scarlets! And for fellow Packers enthusiasts, a resounding “Go Pack Go!”

New high school principal

With Beckham stepping up to superintendent, Jonkar Arceniega has been hired to take over as the new high school principal. 

Arceniega, who formerly taught in Ronan, and has spent 19 years in classrooms, said he’s heard wonderful things about the Arlee staff and the community and has met some of the staff while refereeing basketball games.

During his teaching career, Arceniega has taught history, social studies, language arts, and junior high and senior high honors classes. He also coached high school football, junior high football, lots of track, and high school basketball.  

A resident of Missoula, he’s missed small town life after growing up in a small town with a diverse population – Elko, Nev. It’s a mining town with lots of big ranches, and plenty of blue-collar people including Basques, Mexicans, and a group of miners who came from Butte. Elko is a working person’s town, “a tough town,” Arceniega said.  

Arceniega’s father, who’s Basque, came to the United States in 1972 to escape fascism. His mother came from the mountains of Mexico, Elbarrio de Guadalupe. 

After graduating from high school, Arceniega attended the University of Montana-Western. “The best teacher’s college in this nation,” is how he described the Dillon school. 

Western is also where he met his wife, Kasey. For his master’s degree in Educational Leadership, he went to the University of Montana in Missoula. 

His wife teaches art at Hellgate High and coaches varsity volleyball at Sentinel High School. The couple has one daughter, Marlow, who attends middle school in Missoula and will attend Sentinel for high school.

Since Arceniega has such a strong work ethic from growing up in Elko, he said he drives his family crazy when he’s not busy. Summers are spent as a wildlands firefighter for the Department of Natural Resources. There he serves as engine boss and handles logistics and resources. 

Arceniega is glad to be in Arlee and says he's enjoying meeting all the students and townspeople.

    Jonkar Arceniega joins the Arlee staff as high school principal.
  

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