GREAT FALLS — School officials say Luke Diekhans will now take on the role of the Business Manager for Great Falls Public Schools. He takes over for Brian Patrick, who recently retired.

New business manager for Great Falls Public Schools

“He knows the ropes. He knows the layout of a very difficult and challenging position. So he’ll be a great fit for this job,” said school board chair Gordon Johnson.

“I want to be able to move through this first year, gain that understanding, build relationships with not just other individuals across our district, but individuals across the state with organizations like Masco and the School Boards Association and so forth, so I develop a deeper understanding of the role of the business manager,” said Diekhans.

“But now we’re also looking at possible cuts coming from the federal government. So we’re going to be doing a real balancing act over the next year of what that funding will look like and how we can best use it to suit our students and our staff,” said Diekhans.