After serving as Warsaw Community High School's assistant athletic director for four years, Rachel Etherington has taken a job closer to home.

Etherington, who drove back and forth to Warsaw from Elkhart, took an assistant principal's position at Mishawaka High School at Tuesday's school board meeting.

"Financially it's a good opportunity," Warsaw athletic director Dave Fulkerson said. "She's been working on her administrative license.

"She was driving an hour and a half (round trip), and she only lives 10 minutes from Mishawaka. She applied for one other job a month ago."

Etherington completed her master's degree in 1999 at IPFW and got her administrative license in 2000.

Etherington said Mishawaka principal Joseph Trimboli urged her to apply for the opening.

"It's a great opportunity I couldn't afford to pass up," Etherington said in a phone conversation this morning. "It's 10 miles from my house, where Warsaw is 38. It's a 20-minute drive instead of 50."

Etherington also said the commute didn't bother her at first, but did start to wear on her the last year.

"I didn't mind the commute the first couple of years," Etherington said. "But the last year it did kind of get to me. My husband and I enjoy living in Elkhart. He works in South Bend, so when I was at Warsaw, it was a central location."

Etherington will start her new job Monday and will be in charge of discipline as well as being a "liaison for two subject areas."

As for Etherington's replacement, Fulkerson didn't have anyone in place yet.

"I'll be working with (principal Paul) Crousore and (superintendent Lee) Harman on that and see if anyone is interested. It'll take a while with the process, setting up the interviews, but we'll be OK for right now."

Said Etherington: "Warsaw is a fantastic place. I gained invaluable experience and knowledge from Dave Fulkerson, who let me run many IHSAA tournaments. Warsaw is a first-class school system." [[In-content Ad]]