Melanie Fisher named next assistant principal at Storm Lake Elementary

Storm Lake Elementary will put a familiar face in its next assistant principal’s office, and that matters for families watching how the school handles growth, language support and day-to-day student needs. Melanie Fisher will take the job at the start of the 2026-27 school year and officially begin July 1, 2026, returning to a building where she once taught fourth grade.

Fisher comes into the role from Storm Lake High School, where she has served as director of student services. The district said she brings 15 years of experience in education, including work that focused on student support systems and school climate. Her background also includes service as a math and Title III ELL consultant at Prairie Lakes AEA, a combination that gives her experience with both academic intervention and multilingual instruction.

Her credentials reflect that range. Fisher holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Dakota, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northwestern College and a PK-12 leadership initial administrator license. In a district where classroom demands stretch well beyond academics, that mix of instruction and administration is likely to shape how she approaches attendance concerns, behavior support, literacy needs and communication with families.

Dr. Stephanie Anderson, who was hired in March as Storm Lake Elementary’s next principal after Barb Lange’s retirement, said Fisher understands students and staff and will help support a positive learning environment. The two will step into leadership at a time when the elementary school is part of a larger district navigating both steady enrollment growth and tighter finances.

Storm Lake Community School District enrolled 2,659 students in 2024-25, an increase of 77 students from the year before. District enrollment has climbed 43% since 2000. Nearly 90% of students identify as non-white, more than 30 languages are spoken in the district, and nearly 60% of students are enrolled in English language learner programs. Those numbers help explain why Fisher’s student-services and Title III background may be especially useful as Storm Lake Elementary prepares for another school year.

The district has also been under budget pressure. In March, school leaders were considering a roughly 8% property tax levy increase after announcing plans to cut $1.5 million from the budget. Against that backdrop, Fisher’s promotion keeps leadership inside the district and places an experienced hand in a building that will need stability as it serves a growing, multilingual student body.