Shelly Buhler New Hayden President

After 18 years as an elected official, Shawnee County commissioner Shelly Buhler said, she is “thrilled for the opportunity” to serve as Hayden High School’s next president.

“It’s time for a new direction and to do something different,” Buhler, 53, said Tuesday. “This was definitely a calling.”

Hayden officials confirmed Buhler will be the Catholic school’s first female president. She was recommended for the job by the school’s board of trustees and officially appointed by Archbishop Joseph Naumann, of the Kansas City, Kan., diocese. She will officially take over July 1 but will begin transitioning into the position beginning April 1. Current president Matt Schambari will serve out the rest of the school year.

Buhler, who was elected as county commissioner in 2007, said she will serve out the remainder of her term, which ends in January. Her successor will be elected in November.

Buhler, a former mayor of Rossville, said she decided toward the end of last year that she likely wouldn’t seek another term representing the county’s District 1. She said she started thinking about what she would do next, then was approached about the Hayden position.

“I prayed about it and decided to submit my name,” Buhler said.

“We’re fortunate to have had many high-quality candidates to consider,” Lawrence Martin, chairman of the Hayden board of trustees, said in a statement. “Shelly rose to the top because of her unique combination of experience, educational background and long history of selfless service. She’s known as a collaborative leader who also knows how to get things done.”

Schambari announced in November he would leave at the end of this school year to return to his home state of Nevada to lead Bishop Manogue Catholic High School in Reno. Since he was hired in 2016, he has overseen the school’s rebranding initiatives, including a new logo, several capital improvements and an 8 percent increase in enrollment from 387 students during the 2016-17 school year to 415 students this year.

Buhler said she plans to build on Schambari’s accomplishments but will also listen to students, parents and community members “to build on the strong tradition of Hayden.”

“Building the endowment and increasing enrollment are important,” she said. “But my No. 1 role will be to instill the values of our Catholic faith in our students on an exceptional academic foundation.”