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At Monday’s school board meeting, the board voted 5-0 to appoint Kevin Brown the new principal here at LC.

As Ed Freije is retiring after this school year, Brown will be taking over the position for the 2010-11 school year. Brown is currently in his first year at the central office as Director of Student Services; he previously was an assistant principal here at LC.

The board members and administration made comments about Brown that made their confidence in him evident. “I knew Kevin Brown was the right man for that role,” superintendent Concetta Raimondi said.

The appointment of Brown as principal did not go through the regular process that this decision usually undergoes. This change has caused some uneasiness with some, which two stake holders voiced at the meeting.

The process was quickened because the board did not have a chance to go looking for possible replacements until late in the hiring season. According to Raimondi, there was not a strong pool for that position and if the job was filled by way of the regular process, the person would not take over until late July or early August.

By moving Brown to LC from the central office, the District saves $25-30,000; and in this time of budget cuts, that too looked appealing to the board and Raimondi. Raimondi and board members also felt that appointing an interim principal would be a risky mistake that would result in an unsuccessful year.

The two stakeholders voiced their concerns on how the decision was made quickly, and how the community and teachers were not incorporated into the process. School board president Susan Fuldauer said, “When we have an expert in our midst, it’s OK to hire that expert.”

Brown said, “This is a great honor. It’s also a great responsibility… I will give everything I have in my heart.”