Administration Staff
New Interim Principal Announced at Homyak
August 4, 2025-September 2, 2025
We are excited to announce that a familiar face in the Weld Re-8 community, John Hoag, will serve as the interim principal for Homyak. He will begin on August 5, 2025.
John is well-known in the district, having served for 15 years as Assistant Superintendent and 2 years as Superintendent before his retirement in 2016. Before his time in the district office, he spent 5 years (1994-1999) as the principal of Fort Lupton Middle School and has a total of 18 years of experience as a teacher for grades 5–12.
John is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin system, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. He also completed a principal licensure program at the University of Denver.
He and his wife, Rose, have been residents of the district since 1994. All three of their children are graduates of Fort Lupton High School, and three of their grandchildren are currently enrolled in Weld Re-8 schools. Even after his retirement, John has remained an active member of the community, serving on the district’s negotiations team from 1999 to the present and mentoring Superintendent Alan Kaylor during his first year.
We are confident that John’s experience and deep commitment to our community will make him a great asset to Homyak.
The search for a permanent principal is underway, and we've received a number of applications. We plan to begin conducting interviews next week. We will keep you updated on the search and look forward to introducing the new permanent principal as soon as possible.
Dr. Carter Named Homyak Principal, Bringing a Decade of National Leadership Experience
FORT LUPTON, CO - August 15, 2025 - After an extensive principal search and interview panel process, we are pleased to announce Dr. Cory Carter as the new principal of Homyak Pre-K-8th campus. The board unanimously approved Dr. Carter’s appointment on August 14, 2025.
Dr. Carter brings 16 years of experience in education, with a track record of improving student outcomes, strengthening school culture, and fostering meaningful partnerships between schools, families and communities.
He began his career as a teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he focused on building strong instructional practices that accelerated student learning and ensured all students met or exceeded grade-level expectations. He then moved to Houston, Texas, where he spent seven years in one of the nation’s largest and most diverse school districts. There, he honed his skills in instructional leadership, data-driven decision-making, and supporting multilingual learners.
He later served for six years as an assistant principal in Washington, DC, leading both 6th grade and 9th grade academies. In these roles, Dr. Carter designed tailored experiences to support students during critical transition years, focusing on increasing attendance, improving academic proficiency, and strengthening students’ sense of belonging. He also oversaw special education programming, ensuring compliance, high-quality instruction, and individualized support for students with diverse learning needs. Additionally, he implemented restorative practices, built systems for teacher collaboration, and oversaw targeted academic interventions that led to measurable gains in student achievement and engagement.
A lifelong learner, Dr. Carter earned his Doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied effective practices across elementary, middle, and secondary education. His research focused on strategies that align instructional systems, strengthen school culture, and close opportunity gaps for all students.
Dr. Carter is excited to bring his student-first philosophy, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to academic excellence to Homyak PK–8. He looks forward to honoring the school’s proud traditions while building on its strengths to ensure every student is prepared academically, socially, and emotionally for high school, college, and career.
The District wants to extend its huge thank you to Mr. John Hoag for his work as interim principal. Dr. Carter will begin his role on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Contact:
Dr. Justin Ralston, Superintendent