When a new administrator steps onto campus, students usually notice the change long before the first announcement is made. At Eagle High, that new presence is Mark Simensen, a former ski instructor turned world‑exploring educator whose path to the vice principal’s office winds through snowy Colorado mountains, Idaho classrooms and more than twenty countries abroad. With an easygoing energy and a genuine curiosity about the people around him, he’s already beginning to carve out his place in Eagle’s community.
Long before stepping into an administrative role, Simensen first discovered his passion for working with kids in an unexpected place: the mountains.
“I moved to Colorado to become a ski instructor,” Simensen said. “I started teaching kids how to ski back in the ‘90s… I really enjoyed just working with the kids and teaching them those new tricks.” For seven years, he spent his days on the slopes, helping young skiers build confidence and master new skills. That experience sparked something in him: an interest in teaching.
When he eventually moved to Idaho, a family member nudged him toward the classroom.
“My brother‑in‑law was in education, and he suggested I start getting into substitute teaching,” Simensen said. “I started doing that and fell in love. And now here I am… 15 years later.”
His path to becoming one of Eagle High’s vice principals began with the Dean of Students position, a role designed to train future administrators. Over the last year and a half, he’s worked across multiple schools, gaining experience at both the high school and middle school level.
“I worked at Meridian High School for the first year and a quarter,” Simensen said. “Then I moved to Mountain View… I was also at Lake Hazel Middle School two days a week. So, I was learning both high school and middle school.”
Now, only a few weeks into his new role at Eagle High, Simensen says the thing he’s most excited about is simple: meeting people.
“I really don’t know everybody yet,” he said. “To me, that’s my most important thing. I love getting out, just kind of getting to know everybody.”
The transition, he said, has been smooth thanks to the warm welcome he has received.
“Everybody’s so welcoming here. They’ve made it really easy for me to come in and transition,” he said.
He has also enjoyed watching boys’ basketball and choir concerts, looking forward to experiencing more of Eagle High’s traditions and events. Unlike others advice given by teachers to students, his answer had nothing to do with schoolwork, grades or discipline. Instead, he spoke about the world beyond the classroom.
“Travel,” Simensen said. “Travel whenever you can, go see the world. There’s so much out there.” Simensen has visited 21 countries, and he believes those experiences shaped him in ways no textbook ever could.
“You learn so much from traveling that you don’t learn in school,” he said. “You just got to get out there and travel.”
As for what motivated him to pursue administration, his answer reflects the heart of an educator who wants to make a difference.
“As a teacher, I felt like I just had those students in my class,” Simensen said. “As an admin, I feel like I can reach more than just those kids… I can reach multiple different students.”
With his calm demeanor, authentic enthusiasm and passion for connecting with young people, Simensen brings a refreshing energy to Eagle High. As he settles into his new role, students and staff alike can look forward to the impact he’ll make—one conversation, one connection and one school day at a time.
