Waukesha Times

At the regular board meeting on May 21, the Elmbrook Board of Education approved leadership changes at both Brookfield Elementary and Swanson Elementary. At Brookfield Elementary, Principal Erin King will assume the District role of Assistant Director of Student Services. Current Associate Principal Amy Benotch will move into the role of Principal, and Carolyn Schroeder has been named Associate Principal. At Swanson, Lindy DesJarlais has been named the next Associate Principal, following the upcoming departure of Christie Johnson.

Amy Benotch is finishing her seventh year in Elmbrook, having served as a Teaching and Learning Specialist for four years at Tonawanda Elementary School and as Brookfield Elementary School’s Associate Principal for the past three years. Prior to Elmbrook, she worked for 10 years as an elementary and middle school teacher in the Richmond School District. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from UW-Green Bay and a Master’s in Educational Leadership degree at Viterbo University.

Erin King has served as Principal of Brookfield Elementary since 2021 and will oversee Special Education Services, Early Childhood, Transition Services, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) in her new position.

Lindy DesJarlais has worked in the District for the past nine years as both a sixth-grade teacher and a Teaching and Learning Specialist at Pilgrim Park Middle School. This past year, she filled in for five months as Interim Associate Principal of PPMS. Before Elmbrook, she worked for nine years as an elementary teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada. She earned a BA degree in Communication Arts from UW-Madison. She gained teacher certification at Carroll University and then earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University in Nevada.

Carolyn Schroeder has worked in the District for the past six years, including five years as both a second- and third-grade teacher at Swanson Elementary School and one year as a Teaching and Learning Specialist at Tonawanda Elementary School. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from UW-Madison and a Master’s in Educational Leadership at Carroll University.

“We are fortunate to have an abundance of leadership talent in this District, and it is exciting when we can create career pathways for our educators that meet their professional next steps while serving the Elmbrook Community,” stated Dr. Mark Hansen, Superintendent. “We look forward to the work that each of these great leaders will bring to their new roles on behalf of our students.”

This action follows the upcoming departure of Dr. Tanya Fredrich and promotion of both Emily Greiber and Mekenna Ellis at the April Board meeting. All will begin their new positions on July 1, 2024.