By Press Times Staff

ASHWAUBENON – The Ashwaubenon School District has found its next high school principal from within.

The district has announced that Dirk Ribbens, currently an associate principal at Ashwaubenon High School, will be taking over as principal, effective July 1.

The selection of Ribbens, which is subject to final approval May 8 by the Ashwaubenon school board, is the result of the current AHS principal, Brian Nelsen, announcing his retirement after serving as principal for six years.

“I am honored and excited to be the next principal at Ashwaubenon High School,” Ribbens said. “I look forward to collaborating with students, staff, parents and the community to make this a place where students learn at high levels, feel safe and connected, and develop the skills to be outstanding adults after high school.”

Ribbens, who has been in the field of education since 1993, began his career at Verona Area High School, where he taught Spanish from 1993 until 2003.

He then came to the Ashwaubenon in 2003, teaching Spanish at Cormier, Valley View and AHS.

Ribbens also was an at-risk instructor in Ashwaubenon from 2005 until 2007, before taking over in 2007 as the AHS associate principal.

Ashwaubenon Superintendent Kurt Weyers said Ribbens’s 12 years of experience at the high school and his knowledge of the district will make for a “seamless transition” as the next high school principal.

“Dirk Ribbens’s administrative experience, understanding of the current trends, and district-wide vision are crucial as we make this transition of leadership at Ashwaubenon High School,” Weyers said.

The process of picking the next high school principal, Weyers said, included a selection committee comprised of 10 high school teachers, two parents, two school board members, two administrators and two district directors.

Out of the 20 who applied for AHS principal, Weyers said the three finalists included Ribbens along with Steve Meyers, principal at Bay View Middle School in the Howard-Suamico School District, and Josh Murnane, an associate principal and activities director in the Neenah Joint School District.

Weyers said a two-year contract being offered to Ribbens would pay him an annual salary of $115,000 in 2019-20.

The ramifications of Ribbens’s elevation to AHS principal will also result in the district looking for another associate principal at the high school.

Weyers said the associate principal position at AHS will be posted to fill the upcoming vacancy with Ribbens becoming principal.