New Milton Elementary Principal Clara Conn is excited to finally be working in her own community.

“I feel at home here,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a Viking.”

A Point Pleasant, N.J. native, Conn has lived the last 19 years in the Lewes/Milton area and has settled in Milton with husband John, a driver’s ed instructor at Cape High, and their two children, a Milton Elementary second-grader and a Beacon Middle seventh-grader.

Before joining the Cape district, Conn worked as an elementary teacher, reading specialist, and data and instructional coach in Lake Forest School District before assuming assistant principal and principal positions at Lake Forest South Elementary and Long Neck Elementary.

Conn said she was attracted to the position at Milton Elementary because her own educational values of equity and putting children first align with the district promise and vision.

“It’s just what I believe in as well,” she said. “What they were asking is what I believe in for staff, the community and students.”

Conn said everyone is excited about the new and remodeled building, set to welcome students in September. 

“We need to ensure we can sustain that excitement while developing a community of leaders who inspire one another to be leaders, not only in this building, but in Milton as well,” she said. 

Conn takes over from former Principal Beth Conaway, who retired last school year. Former Rehoboth Elementary Assistant Principal Reshid Walker will move to Milton Elementary, and former Milton Elementary Assistant Principal Kevin Monaghan will now be at Rehoboth Elementary, she said.

Conn holds a bachelor’s degree in education, a reading specialist master’s degree, and certification in administration and school leadership. Conn grew up in a bilingual family; her parents are originally from Italy.

“While attending elementary school, my sisters and I were English language learners,” she said. “One of the main reasons why I wanted to enter the education world is to support all types of learners.”

Family time is important, Conn said. Her older daughter races motorcycles, so they bought an RV to travel to competitions in Baltimore and New Jersey, and enjoy camping and beach time as well.