NDHSAA NEWS RELEASE - Tuesday, April 15

VALLEY CITY – Class B Superintendents and Class A Athletic Administrators will receive an electronic ballot on April 15, 2025 to elect individuals to terms on the NDHSAA Board of Directors. Votes will be canvassed and election results announced following the Board of Directors meeting on June 11, 2025. Bios of the candidates are included in this release.

Nominees include:

Class B Southwest (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2029):
Scott Jung – Superintendent – New England
Cari Kramer – Superintendent – Solen
Daren Kurle – Superintendent – Belfield

North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2029):
Travis Christensen – Fargo North

Nominees Bios:

Class B Southwest Representative Nominee
Scott Jung, Superintendent, New England Public School District
 
Scott Jung, a 1994 graduate of New England Public School, has dedicated over two decades to education and extracurricular leadership in North Dakota. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Dickinson State University in 2001 and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Valley City State University in 2016, the same year he became a Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA). His teaching and coaching career spanned Berthold, Beulah, and Center/Stanton, where he served as a head or assistant basketball coach for nine
years, assistant football coach for six years, and head football coach for three.

In 2012, Scott became principal and athletic director at South Heart High School, serving for 11 years. During that time, he was honored as Region 4 Principal of the Year and Region 7 Athletic Director of the Year. He is now in his second year as superintendent of New England Public Schools. Scott’s leadership has always centered around student success, school improvement, and strong extracurricular programs. His broad experience provides valuable insight into the needs and challenges of Class B schools.

Scott has also been active in civic life, serving on two park boards, including seven years as president of the South Heart Park Board, and is a former Lion’s Club member. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Bismarck and have four children: Paige (21), Jordan (17), Taya (16), and Brody (14).

Class B Southwest Representative Nominee
Cari Kramer, Superintendent, Solen Public School District

Cari Kramer, a 1994 graduate of Washburn Public School, earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Valley City State University on the campus of North Dakota State University in 2001 and obtained her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of North Dakota in 2017.

Cari began her teaching career in Fort Yates in 2001, where she eventually became assistant principal and principal at Fort Yates Public Middle School. During this time, she served as an athletic director, cheerleading coach, and student council advisor.

Cari began her superintendent career at Wing Public School in 2020, where she spent four years as the superintendent/secondary principal for four years. Cari is in her first year at Solen Public School District serving as the superintendent.

Her family includes her daughter Brynlie (10). They reside in Mandan, North Dakota.

Class B Southwest Representative Nominee
Daren Kurle, Superintendent, Belfield School District

Daren Kurle, a graduate of Bismarck Century High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary and physical education from the University of Mary and a master’s degree in educational leadership from North Dakota State University in 2007.

He began his teaching career in 1998 in Wishek, North Dakota, where he also served as assistant boys and girls basketball coach. In 2000, he became head girls’ basketball coach while also taking on various other coaching responsibilities. Daren began his administrative career in 2007 as activities director at Wishek Public School and moved into a full-time administrative role in 2008, serving as both principal and superintendent at Strasburg Public School until 2012.

From 2012 to 2015, Daren served as K-12 principal and head baseball coach at Turtle Lake-Mercer Public School. He then joined Belfield Public School, where he spent four years as high school principal and head baseball coach from 2016 to 2019, earning Region Coach of the Year honors in 2019. During his time in Belfield, he was also a basketball official for eight years and a baseball official for one season.

Now in his sixth year as superintendent at Belfield, Daren also serves as board chair of West River Student Services and is a member of the North Dakota School Construction Coalition. Daren and his wife, Melissa, live in Belfield. They are parents of six grown children and grandparents to seven amazing grandchildren.

NDASSP Representative Nominee
Travis Christensen, Principal, Fargo North High School

Travis Christensen, a 2001 graduate of Battle Lake (MN) High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and obtained his master’s degree in educational leadership from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2011.

Christensen began his teaching career in Ulen-Hitterdal, MN in 2005 where he was the 7-12 social studies teacher, head football coach, assistant girls’ basketball coach and prom advisor. He spent one year at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton schools as a social studies teacher and head football coach before beginning his tenure at Fargo North High School in 2008. His time at North has included roles of a social studies teacher, assistant football and girls basketball coach and then nine years as the activities coordinator/assistant principal. Currently he is in his third year as the building principal at Fargo North.

During his administrative career, Christensen has had the opportunity to serve on the NDIAAA board of directors, including the 2017-2018 years as board president. He also served as the NDIAAA representative on the NDCEL board, and is currently a member of the NDASSP board. Christensen was recognized as the Class A AD of the year in 2018.

His family includes his wife Anne, daughters Claire (13), Keeley (7), and son Cole (10). They currently reside in north Fargo.