Three years ago, the Trojans made the move into their new school, a building in contrast to the old in nearly every respect. The new technology took some getting used to and has still been the point of frustration for less tech-savvy educators. The limited parking in the building’s infancy forced Casper teens to finally learn how to parallel park. Rodstock was in a different setting, weight-lifting classes had different equipment, and every aspect of Trojan life was altered.

When longtime principal Brad Diller announced his retirement in 2017, Trojans feared they were in for an even bigger change. Those fears proved to be misplaced. With the first quarter of the school year complete, transition in leadership has been a smooth one. Mike Britt took over as principal at the conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year, and since then, no large changes have been apparent.

Britt credits the Kelly Walsh community for giving him a great welcome. The ease with which students and teachers have accepted Britt at the helm has helped him find his own stride. “It’s been this smooth transition because of the people, students and teachers,” said Britt, “I’ve had all of these resources and help. It just feels like home now.”

Well into the school year, Principal Mike Britt hit the ground running, maintaining normalcy at Kelly Walsh while also implementing his own innovations. At the first major assembly of the year, new Assistant Principal John Sheaff and Britt demonstrated their good rapport, joking around with the student body and even improvising a wave competition.

In addition to bringing new energy and a different personality to the school, Britt has also initiated new security programs within Kelly Walsh.

“We’ve got a single-point-of-entry policy now. That’s pretty big. We’ve also got a lot of things going on in the background that students might not know about, but it’s all to keep them safe,” said Britt.

His plans also extend beyond protecting Trojans. He also wants to make high school a more enjoyable experience as well.

“I want seniors to have a great year. Not just academically, but I want them to really enjoy it. I want them to be proud of their last year at Kelly Walsh,” said Britt. “I’m also working to improve freshman orientation to make sure everyone’s first year at Kelly Walsh is as effective as possible.”

With a full agenda and many priorities, there will be no time for Britt to slow down in his first year as head principal.

“I try to prioritize naps, but they keep waking me up,” joked Britt.