Niedzwiecki Named Next Superintendent

The Lakewood Board of Education at a special Board meeting Feb. 11 approved Lakewood City Schools' Assistant Superintendent Margaret “Maggie” Niedzwiecki as the next Superintendent for the District. The Board’s search process for new leadership began shortly after current Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Barnes announced his resignation in December 2020 in order to return to Mayfield City Schools as its new superintendent.

After reviewing the candidates and meeting with Niedzwiecki, the Board realized that the best person for the job was already in the District.

“Maggie brings unique experience that will help us move forward in addressing a Board priority – tackling the learning loss resulting from the impact of the pandemic,” said Board of Education President Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy. “She brings the leadership qualities identified by the community as important for our superintendent.”

Shaughnessy continued: “Maggie will, in her words, maintain the great trajectory she sees happening in the Lakewood City Schools. She understands the terrific amount of work that was devoted to the development of our Vision of a Lakewood Graduate and has a plan to act on that vision. We secured a stellar candidate and the District can now move forward seamlessly with meeting the needs of our students.”

Niedzwiecki has over 27 years of experience in education. She has served as assistant superintendent of the Lakewood City Schools since 2018. She has led the District Innovation Task Force as well as the development of the District’s Vision of a Lakewood Graduate. Niedzwiecki also helped expand STEM opportunities in the District through the use of makerspace classrooms and Project Lead the Way. Additionally, she heads the District’s Continuous Improvement Committee.

Prior to joining Lakewood Schools, Niedzwiecki served in many roles, including director of curriculum and instruction, director of Race to the Top with the Ohio Department of Education, and elementary school principal. She spent the first 11 years of her career as an elementary teacher.

“Maggie is a great educator and a great person,” said Dr. Barnes. “We have worked well together for several years and I have witnessed the positive impact she has had on our students and community.”

Niedzwiecki will assume her new role on August 1, 2021.