LIVINGSTON MANOR - Oftentimes when the phrase, there's a new sheriff [ or in this case principal] in town, it refers to an unfamiliar face. But for Shirlee Davis, who was recently named the new High School Principal at the Livingston Manor Central School District, it's a place she knows all too well.

Davis graduated from Livingston Manor and went to Orange County Community College where she played soccer while working her way through school. She then transferred to SUNY New Paltz after graduation from Orange to pursue a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. She substituted at Livingston Manor, coached and advised for a year before she was hired as a fifth grade teacher.

She continued to work at Livingston Manor as a fifth and sixth grade teacher, varsity girls' soccer coach, and advisor while completing her Masters in Education at New Paltz.

“Always thinking about the future, I took further coursework in Educational Administration and was certified in 2004,” Davis said. “I continued to teach as I raised my family. In 2006-2008, I took the job of Athletic Director at LMCS while teaching AIS Reading. I have always enjoyed sports, but I missed being in my own classroom and teaching full-time. I went back to the classroom, but as my children grew up and went on to college, I thought about administration again.”

Davis had been substituting on and off within the building for both the Elementary and High School principals to gain experience while still working in her classroom. When the opportunity arose to do a short-term leave replacement for the High School principal, Davis thought of it as the perfect opportunity for her to gain valuable experience full-time.

After 30 years of being a teacher, mentor, coach, advisor and administrator, Davis was ready to accept the opportunity to join the Administrative Team at Livingston Manor as High School Principal.

“In the position of High School principal, I plan to continue building upon the relationships I have established in the high school and I look forward to the challenge that coordinating and disciplining a high school student body presents,” Davis explained. “This is an exciting time, and although I have many creative ideas, I hope to begin by examining all the positive aspects Livingston Manor High School already has and building from these.

“Some of my goals for the future include building relationships between neighboring schools and between the community and school, using distance learning to expand opportunities for students, and continuing to work on school safety and positive school culture.”

Davis's first day as principal was July 1.

“Shirlee has been with the district for a number of years as a teacher and coach, she has served as the Athletic Director and this past school year filled in several temporary administrative roles in the 2nd half of the school year,” Shared Superintendent of Schools for the Downsville, Livingston Manor and Roscoe Central School Districts, John Evans, said. “We are very excited to have Shirlee as part of our administrative team and look forward to working with her new role as principal.”