Experienced Principals

Eldon Budge

Thomas Edison South

Before coming to Cache Valley, Mr. Budge worked as a principal in the Arizona schools that Thomas Edison Charter Schools are patterned after. From 1994 – 1996, he was co-principal of Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, and he was principal of Ben Franklin West Elementary School from 1996 – 2002. In 2003, he moved his family to the Logan area to become principal of TECS in North Logan. When Thomas Edison South opened in 2005, Mr. Budge became principal so that the program developed at the original TECS would properly carry forward at Edison South.

Scott Jackson

Thomas Edison North

Mr. Jackson is also a seasoned principal and has experience with the charter school movement and the Arizona schools which inspired Thomas Edison Charter Schools. He served on the original faculty of Ben Franklin Elementary in Mesa, Arizona. Through the tutelage of Marc Mason, who was principal for almost 25 years at Ben Franklin, and Romalda Spalding, founder of the Spalding method (the language arts program used at Thomas Edison), Mr. Jackson became a master teacher. He went on to become a principal at various charter schools. Mr. Jackson consulted with the founders of the original Thomas Edison Charter School on writing that school’s charter. In 2005, Mr. Jackson moved his family from Arizona to Logan and became principal of Edison North, replacing Mr. Budge who had been assigned to the new Edison South.

Nathan Cureton

Assistant Principal

Mr. Cureton began his work in the Thomas Edison program as a secondary English teacher at Edison South in 2007. Throughout the following years, Mr. Cureton worked diligently to prepare himself for his forthcoming administrative assignment. Aside from his daily, fulltime teaching duties, Mr. Cureton completed a comprehensive, in-house Administrator Training Program in which he engaged in a wide variety of administrative tasks particular to the unique Thomas Edison program. This, along with his successful completion of a Master’s Degree of Educational Leadership, prepared him for his fulltime administrative internship in 2010 and appointment to assistant principal in 2011.

Melani Kirk

Director of Instruction

Melani Kirk is in her 8th year with Thomas Edison Charter School. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University and her master’s at Northern Arizona University. Mrs. Kirk spent the first 8 years of her career at the Franklin schools in Arizona teaching PE, 2nd grade, and 6th grade before moving to Utah. She taught one year of 5th/6th grade in Provo before coming to Thomas Edison in 2004. Mrs. Kirk spent the first two years at Thomas Edison gaining more classroom experience teaching in kindergarten and middle school English as well as beginning the role of Instructional Specialist. As the current Director of Instruction, Mrs. Kirk is a Spalding Certified Teacher Instructor and loves her role working with teachers, students and parents.

Jamie Lewis

Director of Instruction Intern

Mrs. Lewis has been involved with the Thomas Edison Charter Schools since Edison North opened in 2002. She served on the Parent Curriculum Committee and Parent Organization Board during the early start-up years. In 2004, Mrs. Lewis was appointed to the governing board. During her three years of service, she gained valuable experience with school policies, procedures, curriculum, and state requirements and funding. Prior to her move into administration, Mrs. Lewis taught middle school English and math from 2007-2010 and second grade during the 2010-2011 school year. Mrs. Lewis is a Spalding Certified Teacher Instructor and Coach.