Lash excited about new role as Killbuck principal
Longtime West Holmes School District teacher Brian Lash is eager to begin his new career as the Killbuck Elementary principal.
For the past several years, Brian Lash, the newly appointed principal at Killbuck Elementary, has taught English at West Holmes High School.
While he has enjoyed his time there, when he invested his teaching time to summer school last year, he learned something of great value.
“If I could go back in time, I think I would probably focus on teaching kindergarten through third grade,” Lash said. “Summer school and working with the smaller kids really opened my eyes as to how much joy there is in working with younger kids. I loved that atmosphere. Becoming an elementary school principal became a real goal after last summer.”
There was another driving factor in his realization that teaching younger children and helping them develop character and self-esteem is valuable: his own young boys.
“Now that I have my boys and we’re reading and I am seeing the development and power of reading, that is a blast to me,” Lash said. “To be a part of that is exciting.”
Thus, when former Killbuck Principal Carrie Maltarich opted to take over the West Holmes Schools special education director role, Lash’s dream of stepping into an elementary principal role became a possibility.
Maltarich said Lash has the perfect temperament to become a successful principal, and he said he has been learning a great deal from Maltarich in the early summer days with school out. He said while he has a general knowledge of the principal’s role, Maltarich has invested her time in teaching him the little things that are important.
“I love the teaching part of education, and I found purpose and meaning in it,” Lash said. “I think that prepared me for this time in my life, and one of my biggest hopes is that I can help encourage teachers and remind them of the meaning and purpose and the joy of teaching in this role as principal. I hope to inspire them as well as direct the kids.”
Lash was a 2003 graduate of Garaway High School, and he went to Bowling Green State University to work toward his teaching degree. He then was hired at West Holmes High School, where he taught freshman English, then dropped down to eighth grade, where he taught for one year before taking on his current role of teaching sophomore and senior English.
About halfway through his teaching, he felt drawn toward taking on a principal position, and he wanted to make an impact and earned his master’s degree toward that goal.
Lash said entering a new season in his educational life is both invigorating and a little intimidating, but he said he couldn’t ask for a better school or community in which to begin his new career.
“This is a great community that is very close-knit and just a wonderful place to be,” Lash said. “I think that fits my personality, and I think it’s a great fit for all of us.”
He said having developed his career in the West Holmes School District set the table perfectly for his new role. He said he got to know the school administration, many teachers in the district and the level of high effort that is expected in the district. He also said it has been gratifying to reside, shop at Rodhe’s and have his boys grow up in the district.
“We work hard and support each other. We share similar values, and we make sure we enjoy the little things in life,” Lash said. “That’s who I am, and that blue collar value is who I am. This Killbuck community is now my work home.”
He said between working with younger children and the small, dedicated community of Killbuck, he could easily see himself sliding into a role he can thrive in for many years to come. He said he could even see this being the end game to his educational career.
Lash said he has found purpose and meaning in teaching, but more importantly, it helped him develop more confidence in himself, something he struggled with early on in his career.
He said he is willing to work hard to accomplish the same confidence in his new role.
“I feel like I’m the right person at the right time,” Lash said.