Geneva High School Athletic Director Dave Carli appointed middle school principal

Geneva High School Athletic Director David Carli was appointed as the new Geneva Middle School North principal at the school board meeting Monday.

He will start his new position on July 1.

"I'm just very excited," Carli said. "I've been here 20 years in Geneva, and I'm excited to continue in my new role as principal of Geneva Middle School North."

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Adam Law said there were about 30 applicants for the principal position.

"And as we worked through the interview process ... initially screening them and then narrowed it down for a group of stakeholders from Geneva Middle School North, and then narrowed it down to Central Office administrators and some board members - Dave stood out from the crowd," Law said.

"He is a known commodity, and he is great with building relationships with people," Law said. "He just is an incredibly genuine and student-focused educator."

Carli started as a physical education teacher at the district in 2002.

Carli was an assistant athletic director to Jim Kafer for 12 years, then was appointed athletic director in 2016, following Kafer's retirement.

Carli is to replace Brenna Westerhoff, who resigned in March, but is still on paid administrative leave until the end of her contract on June 30, records show.

Carli's compensation will be $137,000, Law said.

School board President Michael McCormick said he was excited about the choice of Carli as principal, especially as one he believes can relate to middle schoolchildren.

"I think Dave is a great guy. I personally know him because he taught some of my kids, and my kids really liked him," McCormick said. "I think people who worked with him in his current capacity really liked him. I never heard anything bad about the guy. And I think he'll be a good administrator. I think he will be good for Geneva Middle School North."