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Evert names principal, assistant principal candidates

JANESVILLE — Superintendent Tom Evert is recommending Synthia Taylor, a middle school principal in Lansing, Mich., be the new principal of Janesville’s Marshall Middle School.

Evert also announced his choice for an interim assistant principal/athletic director at Parker High School. He is Richard Lehman, a physical education teacher at Sheboygan North High School.

The school board will take up the recommendations when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 12.

Both candidates would start work Aug. 13 if the board approves, according to a district news release.

Taylor would replace Steve Salerno, who is now the district’s director of administrative and human services.

Lehman would replace Steve Schroeder, who is Parker’s interim principal.

Schroeder asked to be appointed on an interim basis, with the intention of confirming that the job is a good fit before committing to continue, Evert said previously.

Schroeder was expected to decide by the end of the fall semester.

It’s not clear what would happen to Lehman if Schroeder decided to return to his former position. Officials were not immediately available to answer that question.

Taylor has been an elementary and middle school principal for the past two years in the Lansing School District. She taught middle school from 1995 to 2001 in the Milwaukee Public Schools, was an assistant principal from 2001 to 2004 in the Burlington School District and was a middle school principal from 2004 to 2006 in the Racine School District, according to the news release.

Taylor received her bachelor’s degree from Carthage College in 1994 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 2000.

Taylor led a charter school effort in Lansing, focusing on math and science.

“She believes deeply in staff development and is a very student-focused educator,” Evert said.

Taylor was chosen from a pool of 34 applicants. A selection committee interviewed six of those to develop a list of strengths and weaknesses. Salerno and Evert then reviewed the lists and selected two finalists: Taylor and Jay Larson, an elementary principal in northern Illinois.

Evert chose Taylor after further interviews.

Taylor would receive a salary of $103,633 for a 229.5-day contract.

Lehman was chosen in a similar process. The other finalist was Randy Green, a teacher at Janesville’s Franklin Middle School.

Lehman would receive a salary of $87,453 for a 224-day contract.

Lehman was a phy ed/health teacher from 1996 to 1998 for the Randall School District and from 1998 to 1999 at the Kettle Moraine Middle School in Dousman.

Lehman was director of camps for After School Inc. in Madison in 1999-2000. He then taught at Plymouth High and Elementary schools from 2000 to 2006.

Lehman has coached throughout his career, according to the news release.

Lehman received his bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 1996 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 2006.