William Wooddell and Marko Hahn will both be stepping away from the Salida School District leadership team in coming months.
Wooddell has served the Salida School District since 2013 when he became the principal at Salida Middle School. In 2022 he accepted the assistant superintendent position in the central administration office (CAO). After 30+ years in education, he had planned to continue his work at CAO until he was diagnosed with ALS in the fall of 2024. He officially retired at the end of the 24-25 school year, and returned for the fall of 2025 to help with special projects supporting staff and the community.
“Will’s contributions to our district are immeasurable,” said Salida School District Superintendent Dr. David Blackburn. “He is a visionary leader, a dedicated educator, and a true champion for our students.”
Wooddell will officially step away from the district in conjunction with the Thanksgiving holiday break with plans to move to Arizona with his wife Karry for the winter season.
The district conducted a search for a new assistant superintendent last year, but didn’t find a qualified candidate. The CAO team was then restructured with the hiring of a Curriculum and Instruction Director to narrow the focus of the position to academics, teacher support, and student achievement.
Additionally, Activities Director Marko Hahn and the district have agreed to a separation agreement. He will work until the end of the fall 2025 semester.
Hahn joined the district at the start of the 21-22 school year and has helped grow activity and athletic program participation to impressive levels. Under his leadership the district has also added more opportunities for student participation, including girls’ wrestling and esports.
“We thank Marko for his contributions to our school and community over the past 5 years,” said SHS Principal Jesse Hull. “We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
To ensure a seamless transition, the district will look to hire an interim activities director for the remainder of 25-26 school year. Salida Schools will initiate a comprehensive search to identify a permanent successor to the role of district activities manager to facilitate sports, performing arts, and various clubs offered in the district.
For additional information please contact Kim LeTourneau at 719-530-5225 or
