photo by: Lawrence school district

Sara (Reichenberger) Murray

Billy Mills Middle School will have a new assistant principal and athletics director come July.

The school’s principal, Andrew Taylor, announced Monday that Sara (Reichenberger) Murray would be taking on the roles effective July 1, pending school board approval.

Murray, a Lawrence resident and the director of field experiences in KU’s School of Education and Human Sciences since 2022, will succeed Kady Carson, who was recently selected to serve as principal of West Middle School after three years at Billy Mills Middle School.

“I am thrilled about Sara joining our team,” Taylor said in a news release. “As a result of our staff’s hard work, our school has gained some positive momentum during the last few years. Sara will help us continue this upward trajectory.”

Murray previously supported educators as a curriculum and instructional learning coach for four years in Lawrence Public Schools. Other experience includes serving as a special education and family and consumer sciences teacher for five years in the Auburn-Washburn, Turner, and Basehor-Linwood school districts, according to the release. She also worked as a research project coordinator for a year at KU, partnering with school districts in data analysis, training and other areas.

Murray earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Pittsburg State University and master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and in educational administration at Emporia State University, and she is completing her doctorate in educational administration at KU.

“I am excited about returning to Lawrence Public Schools and am honored to serve the students, families, and staff at Billy Mills. I look forward to building relationships, learning the traditions of the school, and becoming a part of the Cougar family,” Murray said in the release.

Billy Mills Middle School currently serves 527 students in grades 6-8.