Waukesha South, North Get New Principals Following Resignation

WAUKESHA WI -- Becky Newcomer has been named Principal of Waukesha South High School, replacing former principal Ryan Galante, who resigned last week after he was charged with two counts of child neglect.

Newcomer, who has been the principal of Waukesha North High School since Feb. 2014 holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a minor in Secondary Education from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Carroll University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Marion University in Fond du Lac. She received her Principal and Director of Curriculum and Instruction license in 2012.

Becky began her career at South in 1997 as the building substitute and took on a long-term substitute position as the Drama and English teacher later that same year. She was hired as a full-time teacher in the English Department in 1998. She remained in that position at South until June of 2010, when she transitioned to the Humanities Coordinator. In 2012, Becky joined Waukesha North as an Assistant Principal and became Principal in February of 2014.

Replacing Newcomer at North High School is Kristin Higgins where she has been an Associate Principal at North since July, 2015.

Higgins holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from from UW-Milwaukee, and earned a Director of Curriculum licensure from Concordia University. She joined the School District of Waukesha as an Associate Principal in 2015. Previously, she held positions at Templeton Middle School in Sussex teaching Physics and Chemistry and also acted as the Science Instructional Leader.

“We are pleased to have strong leaders in place,” said Todd Gray, Superintendent. “Both Becky and Kristin are student-focused team players and I am confident they will continue to build and grow the programs at their schools.”

Both positions are pending board approval on Wednesday.

Former Principal Resigns

Former Waukesha South High School principal Galante, 34, resigned as principal on Friday, Oct. 5. Galante is facing two charges of child neglect for a 2017 Christmas Eve incident involving his newborn daughter, according to court records.

Authorities allege that Galante was responsible for breaking his one-month-old daughter's femur during a 2017 Christmas Eve incident. Galante says that his daughter slipped from his grasp, and that he grabbed her by the leg to prevent her from falling, resulting in the leg injury.

Waukesha School District Superintendent Todd Gray announced Galante's resignation in a prepared statement on Oct. 4.

"On Oct. 4, Ryan Galante requested to resign due to pending legal matters and other personnel reasons. This was his choice and his request, and the district found a way to support him and make this work for him. Mr. Galante is a good person and a loyal employee and we wish him the best in his future. The district is working diligently to find a permanent building administrator for this vacancy and will communicate further updates as they are available," Gray wrote in a Journal Sentinel report.

Photo Via Waukesha School District