Dickinson High AD Mark Rerick taking similar job with Grand Forks schools

• Mark Rerick

Mark Rerick

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Dickinson High School is in the market for a new activities director.

Grand Forks Public Schools named Mark Rerick athletic director Monday. Rerick spent the past two years as the activities director and assistant principal at Dickinson High.

Rerick said the most difficult part of leaving Dickinson is the relationships he and his family established.

“I took a big risk in coming out here,” said Rerick, who was the head football coach and athletic director at Hillsboro High School before coming to Dickinson. “I moved across the state, away from a job I was comfortable with, away from people I was comfortable with and really, I moved into a community that accepted me really quickly.

“I have so many good relationships with so many people. That’s what’s really going to make this move tough for me.”

Rerick, was approved by the Grand Forks School Board at its Monday meeting.

“We’re pleased to have a candidate of Mark’s background and expertise leading our athletic department,” Grand Forks assistant superintendent Jody Thompson said through a release.

Rerick, 34, beat out six final candidates who interviewed for the position.

He replaces Grand Forks athletic director Todd Olson, who was named the Fargo Public Schools activities director in April. Olson has been the Grand Forks AD since 2005.

Rerick said not to expect any immediate changes when he steps into his new role.

“I know full well I don’t have to do anything fancy,” Rerick said. “Todd (Olson) is a wonderful athletic director. He has great things in place. I don’t have to change the world. I need to step into a spot where my first year I just figure out what he has in place.”

The biggest change for Rerick will be the larger district, he said.

“I’m coming from a place with one middle school and one high school and now I’ll more than double that,” Rerick said. “My strength in the past has been relationships with coaches. My biggest task in Grand Forks will be to try to develop those positive relationships with twice as many coaches.”

Rerick, who will begin his duties in Grand Forks on July 1, was head football coach at Hillsboro for eight seasons, which included a North Dakota 9-man state championship in 2008. Rerick spent four years as Hillsboro’s athletic director.

In his new job, Rerick will be in charge of hosting several state tournaments, including the Dakota Bowl football championships and the boys and girls state hockey tournaments.

“Anybody who knows me knows how strongly tied to football I am,” Rerick said. “The opportunity to run the Dakota Bowl every other year was alluring to me.

“The other one that I’m excited about is the state hockey tournament. Obviously not one I have a real good background with, but it’s a sport that excites me. It’s one I enjoy. I’m certainly going to enjoy the challenge of hosting those.”

Rerick said he had already signed his contract with Dickinson for the 2012-13 school year and will remain under that contract until the school hires his replacement.

He expects that Dickinson Public Schools won’t have much of a problem doing that, however, calling it a “desirable job” among his peers across the state.

His job, which includes assistant principal duties, is listed on the Job Service North Dakota website with an expected salary range of $82,800 to $93,000 on a 217-day contract beginning in the 2012-13 school year. The minimum education level for the position is a master’s degree.

The job opening closes June 4.

“I think they’re going to have some very qualified candidates to choose from,” Rerick said.

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