Ozaukee High to have new leader this fall

Ozaukee High School in Fredonia has a new leader for this fall with the departure of principal Tom Dorgan, who has accepted a job as principal of Nicolet High School in Glendale.

Replacing Dorgan is Mike Leach, who since 2017 has been director of Wisconsin Virtual Learning, the Northern Ozaukee School District’s online charter school.

Leach will continue to lead WVL while being principal at OHS. 

Teachers Steve Akin and John Odenwald will continue to serve in their full-time teaching roles but also will assist Leach as deans of students, NOSD Superintendent Dave Karrels said. 

“Tom did a great job and we appreciate his service,” Karrels said. “He lives in Waukesha and wanted to shorten his commute to work.”

Dorgan began at Nicolet on July 1.

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring in Mike Leach,” Karrels said in a letter to school staff. “Mike brings significant instructional leadership experience to this important role.

“Hiring Mike as the OHS principal creates opportunity for our district to bring in a strong instructional leader, expand our partnership with WVL, provide budget savings, and develop a high level of leadership support for students and staff,” Karrels said. 

According to his resume, Leach holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University. He is working on earning a doctorate at Cardinal Stritch.

Leach has been an elementary and middle school principal in Racine and Milwaukee.         

He lives in Menomonee Falls with his wife and two children. They are expecting their third child in September.