PW-S District likely to lose second principal

The Port Washington-Saukville School District is likely to lose not one but two principals to superintendent jobs in other districts.

Saukville Elementary School Principal Chad Brakke was offered the job of superintendent of the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District Tuesday night and said Wednesday that he and the district are negotiating the terms of a contract.

“I’m excited about this opportunity and I’m excited about the things that are going on in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District,” Brakke, who has been principal at Saukville Elementary School for 10 years, said.

Earlier this month, Port Washington High School Principal Eric Burke accepted the job of superintendent of the Rhinelander School District. 

For the last two decades, Burke has been a student, teacher, coach and administrator at Port High.

Both Burke and Brakke, presuming he accepts the position, would begin their superintendent jobs on July 1.

Port Washington-Saukville School Supt. Michael Weber, who encouraged both Burke and Brakke to earn their superintendent certifications and take the next step in their careers, said the district began the process of finding Burke’s successor Monday by posting the job opening internally.

Applications are due Monday, Feb. 24, and will be reviewed by the district’s administrative leadership team. That team will then decide whether internal candidates will be interviewed or if applications will be sought from candidates outside the district. 

Ultimately candidates will be interviewed by a committee of administrators, board members, Port High teachers, a member of the support staff and a parent group representative before recommending a candidate for the job.

“Change can bring new opportunities,” Weber said earlier this month. “What’s important as we move forward is to hold onto the successes we’ve achieved. The real mistake is when a new principal comes in and upsets the whole apple cart. That only creates tension.”