Principals Gobert, Walker to trade schools

Thursday, July 28, 2011

A new superintendent and principal at Tzouanakis Intermediate aren't the only changes in the Greencastle Community Schools administrative team for the coming year.

The corporation announced a move Wednesday for principals Shawn Gobert and Tamra Walker to essentially trade jobs. Gobert will take over the helm at Ridpath Primary School and Walker will assume Gobert's former position as Greencastle Middle School principal.

Just a few weeks into her new position as Greencastle Schools superintendent, Dr. Lori Richmond was excited to announce the first big news of her tenure.

"This is a good, positive thing," Richmond said. "Even though I'm new and we're just getting started, the principals -- both of them -- came to me a bit ago when we got started. They had this idea -- they had spoken about it earlier -- and they were both very eager for the move."

Richmond emphasized the strengths and desires of each principal in making the proposed switch a reality.

"Mrs. Walker is very strong in response to intervention and some of the literacy as well. The response to intervention will be moving forward even further next year, so that was a terrific match," Richmond said.

"The same thing with Mr. Gobert coming back," she continued. "He had been interested in working in the elementary setting. That was before this even came about. These were some things he had been working on because he wants to grow in that area.

"We think this is going to support the students very well."

While Walker and Gobert were in agreement when they approached Richmond about the move, the superintendent said it was a change no one took lightly, with the administrative team and the school board mulling the possibilities.

"We took our time looking at implications for the students, especially doing all the literacy framework and what's going in with the different parts of that, both of their abilities," Richmond said. "Then, of course, we took it to the board. They all had many questions, and they took their time considering it.

"It was unanimous that we all thought it would be a great development for the students in the long run, so we decided to go ahead with it."

The switch was announced to the staffs of the two schools Wednesday with a joint call involving both Gobert and Walker. The entire GCSC staff was notified via email, and a recorded call went out to parents in the school system at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Richmond said the two principals were set to call their new staffs today.

Tzouanakis will also have a new principal in August with Jon Strube taking over for the retired Dan TeGrotenhuis. Gwen Morris and Randy Corn remain as the principals of Deer Meadow Primary School and Greencastle High School, respectively.

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  • This is great news for Ridpath, but I hate it for the middle school. Mr Gobert is a great principal and gets along well with everyone, he will be greatly missed at GMS!

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Thu, Jul 28, 2011, at 4:37 AM
  • Congrats Mr Gobert, I have had thru my job the pleasure of working with you and I know that it will be a great move! Congrats also to Mrs Walker, I wish both of you Good luck !

    -- Posted by NPmom66 on Thu, Jul 28, 2011, at 7:24 AM
  • I really don't appreciate you only posting part of my comment. If you couldn't post it all, then you should have deleted it all.

    I wouldn't have been ashamed for my grandmother to read it. If the shoe fits, wear it!!

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Thu, Jul 28, 2011, at 4:25 PM
  • Gobert is a good dude in general. I can only assume he is needed in the younger student administration setting.

    -- Posted by ProblemTransmission on Sat, Jul 30, 2011, at 5:39 AM
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