Jim Lambert, 75, is the new U.S.D. 235 Prinicipal for the junior high and senior high. He starts August 1.
He replaces Mike Reith, who resigned.
Lambert has been in public education for 54 years, 12 years as a teacher, 36 as an administrator, and six as a substitute teacher.
He worked 16 years in Bourbon County as an administrator, six in USD 234 from 1979-85 and 10 in USD 235 from1985-95; as the high school principal/superintendent.
Lambert earned a bachelor of science in history from McPherson College and MEd in Education Administration from Wichita State University.
His hometown is Inman, KS.
He is married to Phyllis and has four children and eight grandchildren.
Outside of his career, he likes to read on a variety of topics, travel trailer camp, yard work, church activities, and is a “military history nut,” he said.
He became an educator because of a lifelong need to learn “stuff” and a love of history, he said.
Several people inspired him in his career.
“Two college professors focused me on what an understanding of history does for society; two colleagues in my early years in teaching
taught me how to work effectively with teenagers,” he said. “Fred Campbell, Dale Hammons, and Dick Hedges, in their leadership roles in USD 234, taught me how to balance all the demands on an administrator and strive for fairness in all decisions.”
The best part of being an educator?
“That’s easy!” he said. “Working with students and teachers on a daily basis. There is an energy in grades 7-12 that causes me to enjoy every day regardless of what has happened. Students want to know their administrators care for them as people and I try to bring that to every interaction.”
What are the greatest challenges?
“Helping students understand how focusing on school activities and work will make them successful as adults,” he said. “Young people don’t always understand that learning to show respect, working hard, following rules for the good of everyone, and being a contributing part of a team will take them a long way as students and adults.”