On Friday, May 20th, Superintendent Demond Means sent an email to Wauwatosa West families highlighting the latest news in the search for a new West principal. On Monday, June 23, 2022, Means will recommend Dr. Corey Golla to the Board of Education. 

Here are 5 things we found about Wauwatosa West’s new principal. 

1. Golla attended 5 different Wisconsin colleges. He started at UW La Crosse and then went to UW Stevens Point where he obtained a BS in History and Political Science. After Stevens Point, he received his Masters in General Education Leadership and Administration from Marian University and got his Superintendent Licensure from Concordia University. He also received a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Additionally, Golla also has his teaching license. 

2. The Wauwatosa School District will be the 3rd district to employ Golla. He began as the Athletic and Activities Director in the Elmbrook School District. A position he held for 7 years from 2005-2012. He then went to the Menomonee Falls School District where he served as principal at Menomonee Falls High School from 2012-2016, the Director of Curriculum and Learning from 2016-2012, and finally the Superintendent of Schools from 2018-2022. 

3. Under Golla’s principalship, Menomonee Falls High School received the ACT Red Quill award and was granted their first US News & World Report Silver Award recognition. The ACT Red Quill award is given to educational professionals that collect and analyze data to support changes to curriculum and instruction based on the needs of the students. US News & World Report awards gold, silver, and bronze awards for the ability of a school to meet state proficiency standards as well as how well they emphasize college readiness within the curriculum. 

4. In the email sent out to families, Means mentioned some “controversy” tied to Golla’s name. The incident in question happened early on in the 2021/2022 school year within the Menomonee Falls School District. According to the MacIver Institute, there were instances of young elementary students physically and sexually assulting two staff members. One student was in regular education and the other in the special education program, however neither was disciplined. The two staff members resigned from their positions and alleged that the Menomonee Falls School District violated their own code of conduct that strictly forbids assault on an employee by a student and states that such actions may result in “expulsion and a referral to the police department.” These incidents happened under Golla’s oversight as Superintendent and he refused the MacIver Institute’s request for comment. In the email, Means assures that “if there is any validity to the inappropriate actions alleged in the article, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will investigate and determine the appropriate consequences” and “at this time…Mr. Golla [has a] valid license and [is] in good standing with the Department of Public Instruction.” Means is also confident that “Mr. Golla will be critical to the advancement of our school district community in the years to come.”

5. More recently, According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Golla was a finalist for the Superintendent position at Franklin Public Schools. Golla lost the position to Annalee Bennin, who previously served as the Superintendent for the Sheboygan Falls School District and the Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Principle in the Oak Creek Franklin School District.