Julian Harris Elementary gets new assistant principal, Decatur High gets girls basketball coach
May 30—Candice Lenhardt is the new assistant principal at Julian Harris Elementary School and Tyler Wright is the new girls varsity basketball coach at Decatur High School.
Decatur Board of Education members unanimously approved Lenhardt's promotion and the hiring of Wright during their special called board meeting Friday morning.
Lenhardt has spent the past three years as a math coach at Julian Harris. Before that, she taught one year of fourth grade and four years of fifth grade at the school.
Her experience in the classroom made her want to work on her leadership certification, she said.
"Becoming a math coach is really what led me in that direction," she said. "Initially my thoughts were that I wanted to move out of the classroom and move into a position where I could have a greater impact. Being a math coach, I got to work with all the grade levels and teachers, and it just pushed me into it."
She's glad to stay at the school.
"Definitely excited I can stay at Julian Harris because it has been my home for eight years," she said. While she was there, she memorized the names of the 336 students, she said.
She and her husband, Josh, who works for MDA as an engineer, have three children, Jalyse, 3; Bless, 19; and Elliott, 20. — Wright hired
A native of Bowdon, Georgia, Wright brings nearly a decade of experience in education and coaching. He spent eight years at Mount Zion High School in Carrollton, Georgia, from 2016 to 2024, serving as head coach from 2017 through 2023. He spent the 2024 — 25 season as assistant coach at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia.
Over the past four basketball seasons, Wright has helped lead teams to three consecutive region championships, multiple Sweet 16 appearances, a Final Four run and a state runner-up finish.
He was unable to attend the board meeting Friday.
— jean.cole@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2361
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