School is back in session and children across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are heading to their classrooms to meet their new teachers and make new friends.
At some schools, students and families get to know new principals and see other new faces in the school administration.
Six districts have new superintendents this school year, including Cincinnati Public Schools, the region’s largest school system and the second-largest in Ohio. Shauna Murphy took on the role of interim superintendent after Iranetta Wright dramatically left the school board at the end of last school year. Alesia Smith was named interim deputy superintendent alongside Murphy.
More: How Cincinnati’s ‘star’ superintendent fell victim to the district’s ‘fragmented culture’
Cincinnati Public Schools has also appointed the following interim deputy superintendents of schools: Deb Klein will be in charge of elementary schools, Amy Randolph will be in charge of secondary schools, and John Chambers will be in charge of school district performance, redesign, sustainability and growth.
William Rice is the new superintendent of Ross Local Schools in Butler County. Rice previously served as assistant superintendent of Fairfield City Schools.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to work with the wonderful staff and students of the Ross Local School District,” Rice said in a press release in the spring. “As a community member for nearly 12 years, I love the spirit and willingness of this community to do whatever it takes to benefit our youth. I promise this community that I will give my all to provide each student with the best educational experience possible.”
The district also has a new curriculum director: Emily Doblinger.
There is also a new superintendent at Carlisle Local Schools: Bob Fischer. Fischer has 30 years of experience in education and most recently served as superintendent of the National Trail Local School District in New Paris, Ohio.
Rick Wolf is the new superintendent of Dayton Independent Schools in Northern Kentucky. He has worked in the district for 25 years as a teacher, dean of students, athletic director, principal and director of teaching and learning. And Chris Wright is the new director of teaching and learning in Dayton after teaching for 11 years and serving as the high school’s assistant principal for the last five years.
Todd Moody is the new superintendent of Grant County Schools. Claudette Herald is now assistant superintendent and Jamie Kellam is chief academic officer and assistant superintendent. Jamie Gokey also joins the district leadership team as director of secondary education.
Jason Steffen is the new superintendent of Ludlow Independent Schools. According to an article on the state Department of Education website, Steffen has been in education for 23 years and has worked for Ludlow for 14 years.
Tracey Miller, superintendent of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District, plans to retire before the second semester of the upcoming school year, so families can expect an announcement of the district’s new leader later this fall.
New school leaders in southwest Ohio
In Hamilton County:
Cincinnati Public Schools has several new principals this school year:
- Tony Greco at James N. Gamble Montessori High School.
- Ashley Morgan at Walnut Hills High School. This is an interim position.
- Aketa Barrow at Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School. This is a temporary position.
- Gabrielle Billingsley at Pleasant Hill Academy. This is an interim position.
- Shawnteala Cade at Roll Hill School. This is an interim position.
- Mark Gumm at the Dater Montessori School.
- Danielle Battle at Shroder Middle School.
- Kayla Brunswick at Oyler School.
The Indian Hill Exempted Village School District has a new high school principal, Andy Gruber. Alex Fries is the new assistant principal of Indian Hill Middle School and Nate Eigher is the new assistant principal of Indian Hill Primary School.
Jeff Crowe is the new assistant principal of Delshire Elementary School in Oak Hills.
Norwood has a new principal, Brooke Gregg, at Norwood View Elementary. Amanda Blanton is the new assistant principal at Norwood Middle School.
Deer Park Community City Schools has a new principal at Amity Elementary: Laura Warman. The school also welcomes Jonathan Wilson as the new assistant principal.
Mark Edwards is the new assistant principal of the Reading Community City School District. Also new to the district’s leadership team is Mandy Franklin as athletic director. Gina Sansone is the new elementary school principal.
Princeton City Schools has two new principals this year. Michelle Peterson replaces retiring principal Shari Hoskins at Heritage Hill Elementary School. And Michael Anderson replaces Kyle Jepson at the Princeton Innovation Center. Most recently, Anderson was an elementary school counselor in Princeton and a building administrator.
Sycamore Community Schools is seeing several leadership changes for the upcoming school year. Meghan Lawson is the new assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, replacing Kelly Wegener, who retired at the end of last year. The district also has a new assistant treasurer, Brody Bronson.
Greg Cole, a longtime teacher and administrator, is now principal of EH Greene Intermediate. Natalie Jimenez, formerly of Lakota Local Schools, is now principal of Blue Ash Elementary after longtime principal Leslie Combs retired at the end of the school year.
Sycamore’s new assistant principals include Ashley Gallahar and Katelyn Robinson at Sycamore High School, Samantha Helms at Sycamore Junior High, Natalie Moss at EH Greene Intermediate, Danielle Gray at Maple Dale Elementary and former EH Greene Intermediate assistant principal Lindsay Combs at Blue Ash Elementary.
In Butler County:
Mayfield Elementary in Middletown has a new assistant principal this year: Cassidy Wodke.
Talawanda has two new principals this year. Pamela Theurer is now the principal at Talawanda Middle School. Kirsten Cannon is the new principal at Bogan Elementary.
Fairfield High School has two new assistant principals this year: Joe Muhlberg and Jordan Smith. Muhlberg is new to the district, while Smith is a former teacher at the academy. Jenny Ament, the new principal at South Elementary, is also new to the district. Michelle Hilbert, a former teacher at South Elementary, is now the school’s assistant principal.
The district also promoted Kim Hauer, former director of human resources, to assistant principal and Jason Hussel, former principal of South Elementary, to director of human resources. Jennifer Skirvin was promoted from director of special services to Fairfield’s director of special services.
In Clermont County:
Jacob Kallgren is the new principal of West Clermont Middle School this year. The West Clermont School District has several new assistant principals, including Gretchen Braitsch at Amelia Elementary, Curtiss Mason at Clough Pike Elementary, Natalie Edwards at Summerside Elementary, and Eric Fangman and Heather Robbins at West Clermont High School.
Clermont Northeastern Local Schools has a new superintendent, Shane Hartley. According to the school district, he is the high school’s third principal in three years. He previously worked at Finneytown High School, Deer Park High School and the Forest Hills Local School District.
The new principal of Pattison Elementary in the Milford Exempted Village School District is Rob Dunn. The district also has two new assistant principals: Christy Gregory at the high school and Jerome Comello at the junior high.
In Warren County:
Kings Local Schools has a new assistant principal, Ericka Thompson, at JF Burns Elementary.
At Wayne Local Schools, Shelby Herlihy is the new assistant principal of the Junior/Senior High School and Kevin Wright is the new director of student services and special education.
Little Miami Schools has a new assistant principal at its elementary school: Audra Westbeld-Quinlan. Chad Konkle is the district’s new director of administrative services and Melissa Buckalew is the district’s new director of special education.
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Lori Limon is the new principal of Franklin High School. Limon previously served as assistant principal of Edgewood High School. Due to budget cuts, Franklin City Schools is moving to grade-level buildings this year. While there are no new elementary school principals, the division of schools is now different:
- Franklin Intermediate Schools (grades 3-5) with Principal Kimberly Irgens and Assistant Principal Erin Truesdell.
- Hunter Elementary School (2nd grade) with Principal Jeremy Ward.
- Gerke Elementary School (1st grade) with principal Jim Rhoades.
- Schenck Elementary (preschool and kindergarten) with Principal Josh Pohl.
New school principals in Northern Kentucky
Jaren Finney is the new assistant superintendent for student services at Covington Independent Public Schools, replacing Janice Wilkerson, who retired after 25 years with the school district.
Finney has 26 years of experience in education and has served as a teacher, assistant teacher, dean of students, assistant principal and principal. Most recently, Finney served as principal of Rockdale Academy in the Cincinnati Public Schools.
“It is my great honor to work with our illustrious team of educators, leaders and Superintendent (Alvin) Garrison at Covington Independent Public Schools and I look forward to serving all students,” Finney said in a recent press release.
Four school buildings in Grant County have new principals this year. Bryley Murphy is the high school principal, Dustin Plunkett is the middle school principal, Michelle Lawrence is the principal of Dry Ridge Elementary and Sheena Walters is the principal of Crittenden Mount Zion Elementary.
Tim Mosley of Campbell County Schools is the new middle school principal after previously serving as assistant principal at the district’s high school. Chris Barwell, the former middle school principal, is now principal at Alexandria Educational Center. Jason Gay will be taking over as assistant principal at Campbell County High School.
Dayton High School also has a new assistant principal, Brian Volpenhein, who taught the first five years of his career in Dayton and then moved to Beechwood for five years.
Andrea Krumpelman is the new principal of Mary A. Goetz Elementary School at Ludlow Independent Schools.
At Fort Thomas Independent Schools, Peter Winkler is the new principal and Kara Kowalk is the new assistant principal at Moyer Elementary. Highlands High School also has a new assistant principal: Jennifer Nash.
