Beryl New, an associate principal at Lawrence High School, is heading for a job as principal at Highland Park High School in Topeka

Lawrence High School associate principal Beryl New says her job change is bittersweet.

Next school year, New will return to lead Topeka’s Highland Park High School in the district where she grew up. It also means she will leave her post on the LHS administrative team.

“I love Lawrence High,” New said. “There’s a call for Highland Park. There are a lot of things that need to be done there.”

Before coming to LHS in 2005, New was an assistant principal at Highland Park for four years. She taught language arts for 13 years at Topeka High School and has received two degrees from Washburn University before getting her doctorate from Kansas University.

After four years as an assistant principal, New became the LHS associate principal this year when Matt Brungardt was promoted to principal.

“Beryl brought a wealth of experience to LHS, along with a passion for developing positive relationships with students, parents and teachers,” Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll said.

Replacing retiring principal Dale Cushinberry, New said the Highland Park job would carry several opportunities to work with students and teachers.

Highland Park has been included on list of schools needing improvement based on its state assessment scores for reading and math. The Topeka district is waiting to hear if Highland Park qualifies for some federal grant money to help.

New said she planned to implement certain programs that worked at LHS, including student support teams, where staff members collaborated on how to help struggling students.

“There were some things we began at Lawrence High for supporting students that can easily be incorporated at any school,” she said.

New is the second member of the LHS administrative team to leave for next year. Jan Leonard, an assistant principal, is retiring in June. Felton Avery, the Kennedy Elementary principal, will take Leonard’s place and join Brungardt and Mike Norris, another assistant principal.

Lawrence school district leaders later will announce plans for the LHS administrative team due to New’s departure.