The Englewood School Board unanimously approved Jonathan Fore to be the new principal at Englewood High School.

Fore, currently Clayton Elementary School principal, will complete this school year at his present post. He will spend time working on the transition and will move into the high school principal post full time on July 1.

The April 7 appointment named a permanent replacement to fill the vacancy created when former principal Linda Torres resigned in September 2008. Brooke Davis, assistant principal when Torres resigned, served as interim principal as the district conducted the search for the principal.

There were 14 candidates for the post. The selection committee narrowed it to five and then to the two finalist, Fore and Davis.

“This was a very difficult decision,” School Superintendent Sean McDaniel said. “All our candidates were well qualified and the two finalist were exceptional candidates for the post.”

McDaniel presented Fore to the board when he announced the recommendation. It took a little urging but, with student board representatives Sara Etherington and Karly Gelinas joining in, the new principal sang the Englewood High School fight song.

Fore was at the April 7 chool board meeting and, before the meeting, he said he was excited about the appointment and was looking forward to the challenge.

“I felt the time was right. A couple years ago, I wouldn’t even considered applying to be the high school principal,” Fore said. “Now, I feel I am a better leader who is willing to listen, learn and build the trust necessary for a person in that post.”

He said there is a lot to do but it provides an exciting opportunity. He said he comes to the position with the goal to make Englewood High School the place the staff and students want to be.

Jonathan Fore is a Colorado native. He graduated from George Washington High School. After six years in the Marine Corps, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and earned a master’s degree from the University of Denver School of International Studies.

His first teaching job was at Denver’s Manual High School. He was a coach, sponsor and the athletic director at the school.

In 1996 he was assistant principal at Clear Creek High School and in 1997 became principal of the school.

Fore accepted the position as Sinclair Middle School principal in 1998 and, after five years, he was named principal of Clayton Elementary School.