Mr. Russel Klein currently serves as the superintendent of Lander County School District. Before coming to Battle Mountain and waking up to the Shoshone Mountain Range, he was simply trying to make his mark on the world. “I’m one of 9 kids, moved 16 times by the time I was 16, grew up in poverty, and had to figure life out for myself.” At 24 years old, he began his 10-year career working his way into Wall Street before making his decision to switch to education. After overcoming a number of challenging experiences, Mr. Klein said it simply: “No matter what happens, no matter what goes down, you get up the next day and try again.”

As an elementary principal in Utah, Mr. Klein ensured his relationships with incoming students were established. “My wife would bake cookies for all of the incoming kindergarteners, and I would personally deliver them to their doorstep. The parent would kind of look at me funny, and then I’d bend down and introduce myself, ‘I understand you’re gonna start our school and we’re excited to have you.’“ 

Looking to advance his career, Mr. Klein looked into administrative positions, and the opportunity presented itself through the Nevada Youth Training Center in Elko, Nevada. “NYTC, it is a youth residential correctional facility in Elko where the students have been placed by a court order.  I worked there for four years as the principal and enjoyed it immensely.  We had great success helping students - who would normally never graduate from HS, graduate.  (In fact, the national average for an institution like that was about 15% and ours was 50%).” 

After working to help at-risk students ‘forge their 'way’ in the world…,” he recognized his desire to help more students in a traditionally structured high school. “There was an opening for a principal at BMHS.  Having worked in corrections, I was interested in transferring back to a more traditional high school where I felt I could affect many more students.  That's when I became a Longhorn and I've never looked back!” Keeping up his focus of establishing relationships before the school year, instead of his wife’s cookies, he brought his gym shoes. Mr. Klein made his unofficial Lander County debut attending a summer volleyball open gym setting volleyballs to girls, hoping to earn a spot on the team.  

Working for two consecutive years as principal for Battle Mountain High School, he threw his name in for a chance to be superintendent, and he was awarded the opportunity to lead LCSD.

He is currently focusing on the Grow Your Own program that provides tuition assistance for LCSD’s instructional aides to attend school to earn licensure. “That’s really where we have turned a lot of our focus — to our own people who live here, who have kids in the school and who want to work here.” To make it possible, the district offers tuition assistance. “If we pay half of their tuition per semester, up to $2,500. If I end up paying $10,000 of someone’s tuition and we get someone from here – then that is money well spent.” 

Outside of work duties, Mr. Klein enjoys vigorous activities including pickleball, tennis, hiking, and strength training. “We ran and trained for a marathon for my wife’s 60th birthday, so in my spare time, I like to be active.” 

Mr. Klein reminds everyone that establishing relationships can create pathways for success. “Education is a human business, and it’s the human relationships I value most.”