USD 253 Emporia Public Schools has announced the hiring of multiple school administrators for the coming academic year.
During the USD 253 Board’s recent meeting Wednesday evening, the board approved the hiring of Adrian Trujillo to serve as an Assistant Principal at Emporia Middle School, Laurie Kurzen as the new Principal at Timmerman Elementary School and Brandi Mitchell as the new Principal of Village Elementary School. Mitchell will take over for current Principal John Martin who is stepping down to take over the Principal position at Emporia Middle School next year.
Mitchell has spent her entire career with USD 253 Emporia and has served as the Assistant Principal at Village for the past three years. Prior to that Mitchell served as an administrative intern, K-5 technology teacher and kindergarten through first-grade teacher all at Village.
In a news release, Mitchell says “I am eager to continue to build positive relationships with staff, students, and families, and look forward to engaging, empowering, and inspiring others to be the best they can be.”
Kurzen has also spent her entire career with USD 253 and has spent the past seven years as the Assistant Principal of Timmerman. Before becoming an administrator Kurzen was a classroom teacher at both Timmerman and William Allen White Elementary for 18 years.
Kurzen stated in the above-mentioned news release, “as a lifelong Emporia community member, I am thrilled at the opportunity to continue serving the USD 253 team.”
Trujillo will be making a return to Emporia this coming year as he is an Emporia native and graduate of Emporia State University. Trujillo began his career in Lawrence as a middle school math teacher before moving on to USD 299 Blue Valley where he has taught math for the last five years.
Trujillo says “coming back and working with the amazing staff and students at Emporia Middle
School is a dream come true.“
All three will assume their new roles in July.
