With three principals in the Roaring Fork School District retiring this May, school officials recently named a new principal at Glenwood Springs Middle School and the nontraditional Bridges High School.

Current Assistant Principal Robert Faris will take over as principal at the 435-student Glenwood middle school, replacing retiring two-year principal Virginia Schroeder.

Current Carbondale Middle School Assistant Principal Lyn Bair will take over at the districtwide Bridges high, replacing retiring Principal Mike Blair.

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Another change in leadership, announced earlier in the school year, is at Basalt Middle School where Assistant Principal Christian Kingsbury replaces retiring Principal Pat Henry.

Formerly a sixth-grade teacher for 10 years in Illinois, Faris has lived in Glenwood Springs with his family, including four children, for the past two years.

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He said he is looking forward to the principal role in working with a “tremendously talented staff.”

“Our goal as a teaching team here at GSMS is to help every student gain academic success,” Faris said. “My philosophy is that if we have clear expectations for students and a clear understanding how students will meet those expectations, then students will be successful.”

Faris has a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in education from Aurora University in Illinois.

“Robert will be a great leader for GSMS,” Schroeder said. “His ability to focus on the needs of the students in this school community is exceptional. Everyone will enjoy his friendly, outgoing personality and his sense of humor.”

With a strong educational background, Bridges appointment Bair earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in art history, a master’s of science degree in psychology, and a doctorate of education from California Coast University.

Prior to her two-year stint as assistant principal in Carbondale, she taught geography, humanities, Advanced Placement art history, algebra, applied physics, technology, technical drawing and wood shop through seven years at Basalt High School. She also has taught art history at Brigham Young University and has taught humanities, anthropology, art history and interior design at Colorado Mountain College.

A mother of three with a love of travel, Bair said she is excited to return to work with high school students.

“I have admired the Bridges program for years and am thrilled to be part of this school. Bridges has shown that students can be successful when the faculty and staff form good relationships and focus on students’ needs,” Bair said. “I believe in standards-based education and love the opportunities that this type of education affords all students.”

With the three internal promotions, searches currently are under way to name new assistant principals for the middle schools in Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. At Basalt Middle School, the assistant principal position has been filled by longtime BMS physical education teacher Ty Haden.