BOZEMAN, Mont. -

At its Monday night meeting, the Bozeman School Board approved Darren Schlepp as the next principal of Whittier Elementary.

Schlepp is currently a principal at Edgerton Elementary School in Kalispell.

District officials said it was evident in the search and interview process that Schlepp is very focused on students.

In 2011, Schlepp won a Montana National Distinguished Principal award.