New leadership for a new year

As the new school year gets started at The Lutheran Schools, we celebrate the new leaders God has brought to northeast Indiana to serve as principals. The following are brief introductions of these new leaders.Mary Eifert (Ascension)Originally from Detroit, Mary attended Concordia University Chicago for her undergraduate degree and Concordia Wisconsin for her master's degree. She has taught in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas, serving the last seven years as principal of St. Paul Lutheran School in Austin, Texas. Mary and her husband, Jon, are delighted to be back in the Midwest and are looking forward to cooler temps, green grass, tall trees, and being closer to family. Mary's daughter Rebecca has completed her studies at Concordia Chicago and will student teach in music at Valley Lutheran High School in Saginaw, Michigan, this fall. Her son Matt will resume studies in math and sports management this fall at Valparaiso University.Jon Eifert (St. Peter-Immanuel)Jon is serving as interim principal at St. Peter-Immanuel. A Detroit native and a product of Lutheran elementary and high schools, he has taught at the elementary, secondary, and university levels, as well as serving as parish music director. Past calls have taken him to Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas prior to arriving in Indiana. A graduate of Concordia River Forest, he has earned advanced degrees in choral conducting and organ. He's the proud husband of Mary and father of two: daughter Rebecca and son Matt. Yes, Jon and, Mary, the new principal at Ascension, are husband and wife.Mark Schallhorn (Bethlehem)Mark was born in Milwaukee and lived in Alaska, California, and Colorado during his youth. He attended Concordia Ann Arbor and Concordia River Forest. Mark is in his 37th year of teaching, having served in Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Indiana. Mark and his wife, Vicki, have two daughters and one granddaughter. His daughter Jessica and her husband, Andrew, serve at Wyneken. His daughter Angela teaches at Wyneken, and her husband is the family life director at St. John Lutheran Church-Bingen. Mark is an avid fan of the Denver Broncos.Carl Risch (Zion)Carl, the interim principal at Zion Lutheran School in Decatur, was born in Chicago and has lived in the suburbs of Chicago for a number of years. However, he calls Seymour, Indiana, his hometown, having lived there during his high school and college years. He's single and has a brother on the staff at Concordia Chicago. Carl graduated from Concordia University Nebraska in Seward in 1980. Interestingly, he completed his student teaching in Fort Wayne. He began his Lutheran teaching ministry at Immanuel in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, from 1980 to 1984. While there, he taught and was the minister of music. In 1984, he moved to Decatur and has served Zion as a teacher, musician, and twice as interim principal. He also has done quite a bit of coaching at the elementary and high school levels."How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7