BOARD APPROVES ADMINISTRATIVE/PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS

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Edward Favre
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Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 6:46 pm

BOARD APPROVES ADMINISTRATIVE/PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS

Postby Edward Favre » Wed Jul 17, 2013 5:27 am

The Board of Education at a July 9 special meeting and July 15 regular meeting approved a number of new administrative appointments as the district continues to shape its leadership team in the wake of a number of recent retirements and professional advancements.

Current Director of Human Resources and Recreation Jim Reitenbach has been appointed to the newly created position of Executive Director of Operations & Construction. In this role, Reitenbach will be charged with developing a facility maintenance program for the district. He will also work closely with the Ohio School Construction Commission in preparation for the final phase of the district’s school facilities construction project and will continue to be the point man on the project once it is under way. Lakewood High Principal Bill Wagner in June was appointed to replace Reitenbach as HR director.

At the July 9 meeting the Board approved current Hayes Elementary Principal Bob Curtin to oversee the Community Recreation & Education Department as well as oversee the transition of students to temporary facilities during the construction of Grant, Lincoln and Roosevelt elementary schools and the eastern end of Lakewood High School as the new Coordinator of Community Recreation and Education/Operations. Curtin, who has served the district as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal, oversaw the transition of nearly 400 Hayes students during Phase I construction.

The Board also on July 9 approved current Harding Assistant Principal Joe Takacs as an LHS House Principal, replacing Bradley Leyrer, who has accepted a position as principal in another school district. In June, current Harding Principal Keith Ahearn was appointed as the next LHS principal.

Replacing Ahearn at Harding will be Joseph Niemantsverdriet, who comes to Lakewood from Revere City Schools, where he is the middle school principal. In 2012, Niemantsverdriet, who has his students call him Mr. Nemo, was named the Ohio Middle School Principal of the Year by the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators. He has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Ohio University, a master’s in Educational Administration and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, both from Cleveland State.

Joining Niemantsverdriet at Harding will be current LHS English teacher Shane Sullivan, who will replace Takacs as the new assistant principal. Sullivan, who joined the district as a teacher in 2003, has been with Lakewood City Schools his entire career. He has played a vital role in both Building and District leadership teams. Sullivan earned his bachelor’s in English from Baldwin Wallace College and a master’s degree from New York University. He also has an Educational Leadership certification from Cleveland State.

In addition to the three new elementary principals approved at the June 17 Board meeting, the Board approved a fourth elementary principal, which was needed due to Curtin’s move from Hayes to Recreation. Merritt Waters will lead the staff and students at Horace Mann Elementary. Waters will be joining the district from Olmsted Falls City Schools, where she has been the Director of Student Services. She also has served as a preschool principal and school psychologist in Olmsted Falls. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management/Psychology from Marietta College and a master’s degree in Education from John Carroll University.

The new elementary principals approved at previous Board meetings have also been assigned buildings. They will be at the following buildings: Sandy Kozelka will head Lincoln Elementary, Sabrina Crawford will head Harrison Elementary and Sandra Powers will lead Hayes Elementary. Longtime Harrison Principal Philis Muth will move to Grant Elementary. Muth skillfully handled the transition of students during the reconstruction of Harrison in Phase I of the district construction program and that experience will be needed as Grant undergoes its own reconstruction and transition.

“The many changes in our administrative ranks that have come about by a combination of retirements and professional advancement has created a great opportunity for us to add some significant talent to our leadership team and reassess where that talent will best serve the district,” said Superintendent Jeff Patterson. “I look forward to working with our current and new administrators to make the 2013-2014 school year our best yet.”


Corey Rossen
Posts: 1663
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:09 pm

Re: BOARD APPROVES ADMINISTRATIVE/PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS

Postby Corey Rossen » Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:51 am

Excellent! New volunteers/victims for the Dunk Tank at Fitness Fits Everyone on September 29th!

Corey


Corey Rossen

"I have neither aligned myself with SLH, nor BL." ~ Jim O'Bryan

"I am not neutral." ~Jim O'Bryan

"I am not here to stir up anything." ~Jim O'Bryan

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