>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

On the surface it did not appear to be anything major.

Beneath the surface, though, it may have meant everything.

Umatilla educator Carter Wells was at Union High School patiently waiting to be interviewed for the principal’s position.

Wells did not sit idly outside the interview room at UHS, striking up meaningful and enjoyable conversations with students walking by.

The UHS secretaries and students took note. “Hey, this is someone who likes and connects with young people,’’ they thought.

Staff and students passed their observations on to the district’s selection committee. Their input, said Union Superintendent Mike Wood, swayed the committee, which has selected Wells as the next UHS principal.

Wells, dean of students at Clara Brownell Middle School in Umatilla, will take his new post on July 1.

“We have a good high school and he (Wells) has the collection of skills and abilities to keep us moving forward,’’ Wood said.

Wells succeeds Jim Taylor, UHS principal for the past 10 years. Taylor will move to Montana at the end of June to take a position as principal of Arlee High School in Arlee.

Wood said Wells has many of the same qualities Taylor does, including an exceptional ability to relate to young people, which impressed the selection committee.

Wells is completing his fifth year at Clara Brownell Middle school and second as dean of students. He was a social studies teacher his first three years there. Wells, as dean of students, has similar responsibilities to those of a vice principal. Clara Brownell Middle School has 270 students in grades 6-8.

Wells is a 2002 graduate of EOU who started his teaching career at La Grande Middle School where he taught social studies in 2002-03. Doug Hislop, now superintendent of the Imbler School District, was then the LMS principal. He recalls that Wells was a talented teacher.

“He sets high standards and gets his students to succeed. Every one of his students was successful,’’ Hislop said.

The Imbler superintendent noted that Wells was LMS head football coach in 2002.

“I told him I wanted just one thing — to make sure every kid played,’’ Hislop said.

Wells met this demand, inserting each player into every game. In the process Wells led his team to an undefeated season.

“He made each of his players feel like a champion,’’ Hislop said.

Wells is originally from Newport Beach, Calif., where he grew up. He decided to attend college at EOU because he was attracted to Northeast Oregon’s outdoor recreational opportunities. Wells is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, backpacking and snowshoeing.

He is happy to be returning to the Grande Ronde Valley.

“I missed everything about it,’’ Wells said. “It is a great place to raise a family.’’

Wells and his wife, Kailyn, have been married 10 years and have three children, ages 9, 4 and 2.

Dianna Veleke, principal of Clara Bownell Middle School, said the first impression Wells made at UHS is an accurate one, reflecting how quickly he connects with people.

“He steps out there. It is very natural for him. Union is very blessed to have someone who is so at ease talking with the public and students.’’