Sydenham Principal Finds Sometimes the grass is greener

Jeff Green | Oct 01, 2009

Sydenham High School Principal Shawn Lehman, in his newly decorated office.

That seems to be the case for Shawn Lehman.

Lehman joined the Limestone District School Board this fall as the new principal of Sydenham High School after working 10 years in the Upper Canada District School Board from his home base of Brockville. He was greeted with a thick carpet of sod, a golf cart, some clubs and a flag when he opened the door to his office at SHS early on Monday morning.

“I don't know who did this,” he said later in the day, “but I think they have some IT experience.”

Lehman joined his predecessors, other new principals and vice principals at the school who found that some mischievous underlings made a few changes to their office a few days or weeks after their arrival at the school. “This was a pretty extensive job” he said, “They removed everything in the office save for two bookshelves, laid this thick carpet of sod, and brought in the golf cart.”

For Lehman it's all part of the relaxed atmosphere at SHS that he has already come to enjoy. “People have been very welcoming. This is a school with a strong committed staff, which makes my job easy,” he said.

Over the next few months Principal Lehman will be working on a school improvement plan, dealing with both educational and facility issues.

For the time being he is continuing to live in Brockville, with his wife, and will be commuting to the school, at least for the first year.