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Mark Schmitt
Mark Schmitt
DELAVAN — It might seem like Delavan-Darien School District Administrator Wendy Overturf put a big spoon into the school's administrative pool and stirred.
"It was time for a change," Overturf said.
Nearly every school in the district has a new principal, and most of the hires were from within.
The changes did not end up as an increase in administration, Overturf said, but is good as Delavan-Darien looks to keep improving test scores and student performance.
The resignation of high school principal Mike Cipriano sparked the changes, Overturf said.
Overturf herself is finishing her second year as the head of the district. She was hired to the position in July 2007.
She formerly worked as the principal of Darien Elementary School. She came to the district as a principal in 2002.
Delavan-Darien High School
The high school principal position anchors a school's administrative team, Overturf said.
The school board chose Mark Schmitt, principal of Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha, as the person for the job. He starts work in July.
Schmitt said relationships are a key part of his educational and leadership philosophy. He will take time to meet teachers, students and parents before determining what issues he needs to tackle at the school, Schmitt said.
"It's important to spend time getting to know the place well," he said.
Schmitt is working in his second year as a principal at Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha. The school is slightly smaller than Delavan-Darien High School, he said.
He has worked as a principal at both public and parochial schools, Schmitt said. The differences between the schools are minimal, he said.
"Kids are kids, and good teaching is good teaching," Schmitt said. "Every school has its own culture and needs."
The number of administrators at the high school will shrink from four to three, which is more comparable with other districts, Overturf said.
Jennifer Strauss will stay on as an associate principal at the high school. Athletic Director Wayne Fell will take on some associate principal responsibilities.
Phoenix Middle School
High school Associate Principal Steve Ferger will become principal at Phoenix Middle School.
One of his duties will be to serve as a mentor to Associate Principal Tad Wehner, who is expected to become principal at Phoenix in a year or two, Ferger said.
Ferger replaces Principal Deborah Maki.
Ferger's associate principal position at the high school is not being refilled, leaving the high school with three administrators.
Ferger has worked for 36 years in education in the Beloit, Clinton and Beloit Turner school districts. He retired from Clinton and came back to work in Delavan-Darien two years ago, he said.
Turtle Creek Elementary School
Deborah Maki will take over next fall as principal of the elementary school on the city's west side.
Maki formerly was the Phoenix principal. She replaces former Turtle Creek Principal Janet Green.
Staff at the school in December took a vote of no confidence in Green, Overturf said.
Green will work in administration in the district office.
Kelly Pickel was promoted to associate principal at Turtle Creek. Pickel formerly worked as the dean of students and a gym teacher at Turtle Creek.