School News
Appointment of New Principal
July 8, 2008
Dear Parents, Faculty, Alumni, and Friends,
It is my great pleasure to announce that on June 21st, the Walbridge School Board of Directors appointed Steve Lien as Principal, effective July 1, 2008. The Board’s decision to select Mr. Lien followed the enthusiastic recommendation of both the Selection Committee and faculty. Mr. Lien’s experience, skills, character, and leadership style are an excellent match for Walbridge School.
Mr. Lien brings impressive educational credentials to Walbridge. He has served on several boards and was the Executive Director of Child Development, Inc., in Madison, - a nonprofit center for early childhood development. He is also an accomplished teacher and school administrator, having served in those capacities for over thirty years in Washington State. Steve has taught phonics-based reading programs, adopted new math and literacy programs, and taught in England as a participant in the Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program. Schools under his leadership have won various awards from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the National PTA.
Mr. Lien will strive for excellence in our school. He will be a powerful public representative, able to clearly articulate our vision, build credibility and inspire others. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious.
This appointment concludes an exhaustive Principal search. We had four times the number of applicants compared to the search that occurred one year ago, and the Committee worked long hours on many nights throughout this process. The Selection Committee included Board members Lynn Broderick and Mary Smith, parent and Co-PTO Chair Christie Miller, Interim Head of School Gary Lewis, teacher Sally Allen and me. Staff provided input on the position criteria and met the finalists. I want to thank everyone who worked so diligently on the search.
This is an exciting time for Walbridge. We are thrilled to have found such an outstanding leader to launch our school into its next chapter. We invite you to attend the open Walbridge School Board meeting on Tuesday, August 26 to meet Mr. Lien and also look forward to seeing you at Parent Orientation on Thursday, September 4, at 7:00 p.m.
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Lien to our school.
Sincerely,
Lisa Sorge
Walbridge School, Board Chair
Recent Events
Summer Sizzle: Thanks to the help of many volunteers and a very supportive community, our first dinner and silent auction event was a huge success. We made a profit of over $3,500 and plan to double this at next year’s Summer Sizzle!
Un-Candy Sale: There is no better fundraiser than one which pays back 100% of the profits and is totally safe for our kids! Together we raised $1,150 in our Un-Candy Sale in which there was no door-to-door selling, no outrageous shipping charges, and no guilt for paying three times the face value of a tub of cookie dough. Thank you to everyone who was able to be a part of such a profitable money maker for the school.
Brat Fest: Working a combined total of 64.5 hours, Walbridge raised $514 at the 2008 Brat Fest. We fed a lot of people, raised some money, and realized the value of getting involved and giving back to the community. Thanks so much for everyone’s time and commitment to the Brat Fest and we hope you are looking forward to working it again next year.