Daniel Stirland is the new principal of Kearns High School as of this year. He filled the position of principal after Maile Loo. He is a former student and teacher of Kearns High School and understands the community from first-hand experience. When he was going to Kearns, he lived by Beehive Elementary. He graduated from Kearns High School and went to Salt Lake City Community College, then he got his bachelor’s and master’s from Utah University.
In an interview with The Cougar Claw about his goals here at Kearns, Daniel Stirland stated, “I want teachers and others to work and improve themselves.” He went on to say that he wants students to come in early and not be late. Mr. Stirland said he was so drawn to the students that it inspired him to want to help and encourage them to do better and be better. He stated, “I want to improve what we do at this school. We want to help kids prepare for life and help them find what to do after high school.” He finds students energetic and great to be around. He finds that the teachers and administrators have their different strengths and weaknesses with students, and that we need to play to those strengths and weaknesses in order to help the students. He wants to give to students, parents, and teachers surveys to get input on some things in this school.
He has a lovely wife and two beautiful kids, one boy and one girl. His daughter graduated from Mountain Range and is now heading to college, his son is currently still in high school. Stirland became a teacher at Kearns High School in 1999, he taught at Kearns until 2005. He became an administrators and vice principal at a few different schools.