Curley Hired as Burleigh Elementary School Principal

Principal Bil Zahn will be a tough act to follow, supporters say, but an elementary school principal in southern Wisconsin says she will throw her heart into it.

The Elmbrook School Board Tuesday approved a two-year contract with Teresa Curley to succeed .

Board member Meg Wartman said while a district team was recruiting, it frequently heard that Zahn's shoes would be hard to fill.

"I'm not sure she'll ever grow into those shoes," Wartman joked. But she said Curley, who was the unanimous choice by team members, has the "same heart for children."

The district interviewed 10 candidates, three of whom were called in for second interviews and Curley "rose to the top," Superintendent Matt Gibson said. Curley will be paid an annual salary of $97,000.

"Teacher at Heart"

Curley said she was a "teacher at heart," having taught third to eighth graders over the years, before becoming a reading specialist and then elementary school principal.

"I love working with kids and teachers and the process of learning," she said.

Gibson said Curley was a talented grant writer, with "hundreds of thousands of dollars of grant writing success."

She has a Bachelor of Arts from Parkside and masters degree from the University of Illinois - Chicago.

Curley, who has a son attending UW-Milwaukee, is leaving her job as principal of a 4K-second grade school and walking away from an opportunity to be promoted as Trevor-Wilmot's district director of instruction for 2012-13.

Curley said after much soul-searching she decided she wanted to remain a principal and was interested in the challenge of joining a larger district.

She said Burleigh was a "wonderful match for what I was looking for" and thanked its staff for welcoming her during her visits.

"I really am excited about working for the parents and the staff and the students and maintaining the tradition of excellence there," Curley said.