Changes In LHUSD For 2026-2027 School Year

By Elijah Aston

Going into the 2026-2027 school year at Lake Havasu Unified School District, changes in administration, teachers and early release dates are present.

Scott Becker, current Lake Havasu High School Principal, is becoming the district Assistant Superintendent.

Becker has been in the school district at Lake Havasu High School for 25 years.

He began as a Physical Education Teacher and basketball coach, then was the Assistant Principal for two years, before becoming the Principal in 2014.

When asked about his upcoming position, Becker said, “ I have been blessed to be able to lead the high school and took it over when it was in good standing, and I can say the same for our district. Taking over organizations that are in good standing isn’t about keeping the status quo; it is about making them better than when you stepped into the position.”

Scott Becker becomes LHUSD Assistant Superintendent

Elijah Aston/RiverScene

Becker is excited to continue his career in Lake Havasu Unified School District as the Assistant Superintendent.

“Lake Havasu Unified School District has not only been my career but a large part of my life, and I can’t wait to help lead its students, staff, and community to success,” he continued.

With the shifting of positions, Amy Barney is taking over the role of Lake Havasu High School’s Principal.

Barney is the current Thunderbolt Middle School principal and is in her 19th year with LHUSD.

She began with teaching special education at Havasupai Elementary School, before teaching math at LHHS.

Barney has won the Golden Apple at Havasupai and LHHS, but her biggest achievement is watching students who previously did not believe they were capable of graduating.

Barney commented on returning to LHHS, saying, “I hope to help bring students back on campus. We have a large number of students choosing online over in person learning and I am a firm believer that you learn more in person than online. I hope to do this by restoring school spirit.”

Barney is excited to become the Principal at LHHS.
Elijah Aston/RiverScene

With Barney moving positions to LHHS, the principal position at Thunderbolt will be taken by Larry Olsen.

Olsen began working for LHUSD in 1990 as a high school math teacher. He became an Academic Coach for LHHS in 2008, which shifted to him becoming the assistant principal.

Olsen returned to his role of Academic Coach until 2016, when he returned to the math classroom. He then became the district math coach until the present.

Olsen has coached volleyball, girls’ basketball and soccer.

Olsen discussed his daughter’s influence on him as a teacher, “My ‘why’ is my two daughters, Kayla and Kaycee. They both attended Thunderbolt and had a first-class experience. All students deserve to have that same experience.”

Olsen would like to continue the progress that Barney and her staff have made this past year.