After a decade leading the Spearfish School District, Superintendent Kirk Easton has officially retired, closing out a 10-year tenure marked by major growth, new educational opportunities, and unprecedented challenges.
Easton retired after reaching the state’s “Rule of 85,” which combines a public employee’s age and years of service. He says the milestone made it the right time to step aside and allow new leadership to take the district forward.
Among the accomplishments Easton says he’s most proud of is the district’s Career and Technical Education Center. The facility broke ground in 2022 and opened in 2024, expanding opportunities for students in fields such as medical science, automotive technology, and building trades.
Easton points to recent successes, including roughly 20 students earning Certified Nursing Assistant certifications before graduating high school and the construction of a home by students in the district’s building trades program.
During his tenure, Easton also guided the district through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while helping maintain a strong financial footing despite declining enrollment.
He says the district’s strategic planning efforts and dedicated staff have played a key role in that success.
Easton recently returned to the classroom to teach building trades and says interactions with students remained one of the most rewarding parts of his career.
While retiring from the Spearfish School District, Easton is not leaving education entirely. He has accepted an interim position as Executive Vice President at Western Dakota Technical College.
Meanwhile, newly hired Superintendent Nick Gottlob has taken over leadership of the district. Easton says he is confident Gottlob will continue building on the district’s successes while bringing new ideas to the role.
Easton thanked district staff, parents, and the Spearfish community for their support over the past decade, calling his time in the district a great experience.
