Emily Lehne named Beacon Middle principal

A familiar face will return to Beacon Middle School when Emily Lehne takes over as principal July 1, replacing Dave Frederick, who will assume leadership of the new Frederick D. Thomas Middle School. 

Lehne, the Mariner Middle assistant principal since 2018, said the new role is a natural progression of her long-term goals.

“I love what I do, and I want to do more of it,” said Lehne, who has spent her entire career in the Cape district. “I always knew I wanted to be at Cape. It’s the only place I’ve ever applied. I believe in our values and our promise. It’s our core.”

During her 13 years as a middle school teacher, Lehne taught science, English language arts and social studies, first at Mariner, then Beacon, where she was named building Teacher of the Year for the 2014-15 school year.

Lehne earned her doctoral and master’s degrees from Wilmington University, and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and middle school science from the University of Delaware. As a master’s student, she said she took school leadership classes that led to her interest in administration.

“I became team leader and got involved with district committees,” she said. “The more I did, the more I enjoyed it. You can make a big difference in your classroom. As an administrator, you can make an impact on 680 kids and all of their families on a broader scale.”

At Mariner, Lehne manages the science and language arts departments, and she is the 504 coordinator for the school. She hopes her successor will be named before her departure so they can work together to ensure a smooth transition.

A Cape High Class of 2000 grad, Lehne attended Rehoboth Elementary and Lewes Middle School. She and her husband John, who owns 302 Bicycles, live in Milton with their two Siberian huskies and three children; two of them are in elementary school and one is at Mariner. 

Her boys enjoy Ninja Warrior training and her daughter does gymnastics. In their free time, the family enjoys visiting Chincoteague, where John is part owner of a bicycle shop.

Lehne said the thing she will miss most about Mariner is the same thing she looks forward to at Beacon – working with children, staff and families – and she is happy to participate in all the end-of-year celebrations before moving to her new position.