GREENFIELD — An educator who has spent the past 12 years both as a teacher and administrator for Greenfield-Central Schools will soon take the helm as Harris Elementary School principal.
The Greenfield-Central School Board on Monday approved hiring Sarah Greulich as the next principal at Harris Elementary. Greulich will replace Jan Kehrt, who recently accepted a position as the Sugar Creek Elementary School principal at Southern Hancock Schools after 12 years serving Harris Elementary.
Greulich will have a two-year contract with a $98,000 annual salary, according to board documents.
Over the past five years, Greulich has been the assistant principal at Maxwell Intermediate School; she previously served as assistant principal at Greenfield Intermediate School for two years and taught seventh grade language arts at Greenfield Middle School and Greenfield-Central Junior High School from 2007 to 2012.
Harold Olin, superintendent of Greenfield-Central Schools, said the corporation received 32 full applications for the position. A broad-based committee, comprised of educators and parents, interviewed six candidates in early June. Olin said Greulich emerged as the “best fit” for the job.
Olin said Greulich’s worth ethic, integrity and ability to work with both administrators and parents stood out to the committee. When Olin was principal of Greenfield-Central Junior High School several years ago, Greulich taught English classes and also served in a dean of students role for the school.
“I got a chance to see her interact with parents and teachers years ago,” Olin said, “and then she’s been an assistant principal for the last seven years — no surprises there.”
Greulich said she’s been striving to become a principal over her 12-year education career.
“It’s always kind of been in the pathways,” she said. “This is a really logical next step for me. I’m passionate about Harris. It’s close to home. This is an important place for me.”
Harris Elementary has had three long-term principals in its 60-plus-year history — Meredith Payne, Steve Blue and Kehrt.
Over the summer months, Greulich, whose contract officially begins July 1, plans to get to know her staff better and work with Kehrt on transitioning into the role.
“We’re going to dive in now,” she said. “Get busy.”
