After 16 years, Floyd Brown is trading in his seat in the classroom for an administrative role.

Brown was unanimously tabbed last Monday night as Lehighton Area School District’s next middle school principal.

“I’m looking forward to getting started,” Brown said. “There are a lot of good things happening at the middle school and we hope to continue that, and build on it.”

Lehighton Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said seven or eight people interviewed for the position.

“We are excited for Floyd to be part of our administrative team,” Cleaver said. “He has prior experience as an assistant special education director and served as our special education director for several months while we completed the search to replace our former director.”

Former middle school Principal Jennifer Evans resigned in May after one year in the position.

Most of Brown’s 16 years in the district have been spent as a special-education teacher at the high school.

His salary was set Monday night at $84,000.

“We have a great staff so I am excited to work with them and hear their ideas on how we can make the school even better,” Brown said. “Overall, we have great kids in Lehighton as well, and I am looking forward to interacting with students and getting to know more about them.”

Brown’s resume also includes a three-year stint as assistant supervisor of special education, six years as district assessment coordinator and two years as a department head. He is currently Lehighton’s high school wrestling head coach.

“I am excited to work with the students and their families,” Brown said, “as well as staff and the Lehighton community, so that all the students have a great learning experience at the middle school.”

Brown received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University.

“He has always been a student-centered teacher and administrator for the Lehighton School District,” Cleaver said, “and we are very fortunate to have him lead the middle school for the start of the 2018-19 school year.”