Clarke Elementary is seeing two new administration positions - associate principals for each grade.
The Clarke School Board approved the hire of Annie Halsband as the Pre-K through second grade elementary associate principal at their Feb. 23 meeting and the transfer current elementary associate principal Cory Wenthe to third through fifth grade associate principal at the March 2 meeting; both will start the new positions with the 2026-27 school year.
The addition of a second associate principal position was approved at the school board’s Jan. 12 meeting. By creating a second position, each will be able to dedicate more administrative focus to their specific grades, which in turn will “strengthen instructional leadership, improve student support, and provide increased oversight in the early learning grades,” through which “foundational academic and behavioral skills are critical to long-term student success.” Halsband’s job description will focus more on early-childhood while Wenthe will focus more on upper elementary.
Both will report to Elementary Principal Dr. Kevin Schlomer and assist one another as needed.
Wenthe has served as the elementary associate principal since 2023-24 school year. Halsband currently serves as the elementary success coach, and has worked at the school since the 2008-09 school year, which she joined as a second grade teacher.
The creation of the second position was approved at the Jan. 12 school board meeting.