Central High School Board President Mary Ellen Pearsall (left) presents new principal Lisa Albrecht a CHS polo short and rain jacket shortly after Albrecht was hired as principal for the coming school year.
Central High School has selected a new principal to replace retiring Thomas Baba.
A contract with Lisa Albrecht was approved Tuesday.
Lisa Albrecht
Albrecht most recently was an associate principal at South Milwaukee High School, which has a student population of 1,200. She also has served in various capacities at a district level, in the classroom and with the state Department of Instruction.
“I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get going,” Albrecht said. After her hiring was approved, she was presented with several spirit items by board President Mary Ellen Pearsall.
The school had 80 people apply for the position, district administrator Scott Pierce said. That was narrowed to 15 and later three that were interviewed by the board.
“I thought your process was really thorough,” Albrecht said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Albrecht said as she became more involved in the interview process she began to see Central as a school that meshed well with her philosophies of education.
“As much as they interviewed me, I interviewed them,” Albrecht said about staff and students she met. “I saw the community as seeing education as really important. It’s just fitting like a glove.”
Albrecht, who is married to Gateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht, said she also was unpressed with the foundation laid by Baba.
She officially will start her duties at Central on July 1, but added that she likely will be putting in soem time her even before that. Her salary will be $97,000.
The loss of retiring Dr. Thomas L. Baba at Central will be a devastating
one not only to the district, but to the state of Wisconsen and the country
at whole. His creative approach to learning is one that should not
be overlooked. As his vision to the future in the areas of education are far
more reaching that any other administrator. He is at the level of Geoff
Canada, the princple who has turned education around in Harlem.
He should be given a position as special educational consultant. As his
creative approach would have given Central and the district national
recognition. Please be aware of this future achievements in the area
of text book reform.