When students at Oak Harbor High School start class Sept. 9, they will see a familiar face in a new role this year.

After spending the past two years as assistant principal, Dwight Lundstrom is moving up to principal at the high school.

He is replacing Dick Devlin, who retired at the end of the school year after 13 years at Oak Harbor High School.

Before becoming assistant principal, he was a math teacher and girls varsity basketball coach.

“As a teacher I could affect and help 150 kids a year on average and I felt I could do more,” Lundstrom, who’s entering his seventh year at the high school, said.

One of his main goals is to improve standards for students.

“I want to raise the bar. I want kids to come out (of high school) better prepared,” Lundstrom said adding that he also wants to encourage more community involvement with activities and athletics.

In addition to his experience as assistant principal, he has a total of 14 years experience as a math teacher. He’s taught in Oak Harbor, Colorado and Kansas.

He also coached football, baseball and girls basketball throughout his teaching career.

Coaching still remains part of his life. Lundstrom coaches basketball for the Oak Harbor Youth Athletic Association.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Colorado State University and a masters in education from Western Washington University.

He lives in Oak Harbor with his wife, Shanna, and three children, 12-year-old Jacob, 10-year-old Tucker and seven-year-old Haley — all of the children could be attending class at the high school someday.

“That’s something near and dear to my heart,” Lundstrom said. Not only do I want it to be a great for all kids but I want it to be great for my own as well.”

While Lundstrom was promoted to principal, Nicole MacTavish was named Lundstrom’s replacement as assistant principal.

She was a temporary assistant principal at North Whidbey Middle School. She was filling in for Claude Harvey who is returning to North Whidbey Middle School after taking a year off.

MacTavish is familiar with Oak Harbor High School because she previously worked. She was an English teacher and ASB advisor from 1997 to 2002.

Both Lundstrom and MacTavish interned together at Oak Harbor High School as part of their principal certification program.

MacTavish holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communication from the University of Washington and a Masters of Education from the University of Washington. She also has her principal’s certification from Western Washington University.

Both MacTavish and Lundstrom spent Monday settling into their new positions and respective offices and are spending the rest of the month preparing for students arrival in early September.

“It’s going to be a great year,” Lundstrom said.