Dozens of school superintendents, principals and other administrators in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have left their positions this year in search of a fresh start. While some found new roles internally, several moved to other districts in the area or elsewhere in the Midwest.
School leadership shuffles are normal, even before COVID-19 raised unprecedented challenges for schools across the region and added significant stress to local school administrators. This fall, seven local school districts will start the new school year under a new superintendent, and more than 30 schools will welcome new principals.
The region's largest school system, Cincinnati Public Schools, selected Iranetta Wright as its new district leader this spring. Wright comes from Detroit Public Schools and replaced Laura Mitchell, who resigned in May 2021 to become CEO of Beech Acres Parenting Center. Tianay Amat served as interim superintendent during the district's year-long, nationwide superintendent search and now she is CEO of Cincinnati Works.
New superintendents in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky region
Larry Hook is taking over as superintendent at Forest Hills School District after Scot Prebles announced he was leaving to lead the Bay Village City School system near Cleveland. Hook previously served the Springboro School system as superintendent.
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Carrie Hester was named superintendent of Springboro Schools this summer, to take Hook's place. She previously served as the district's director of human resources and assistant superintendent of operations.
At Reading Community City School District, Damon Davis is replacing Jason Enix as superintendent. Enix is now superintendent of Huber Heights, north of Dayton. Davis previously served as director of curriculum and communications for the district, as principal of the middle school and in assistant principal positions, according to the district's website.
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In Northern Kentucky, Misty Middleton is taking over as superintendent of Bellevue Independent Schools after serving six years as superintendent of Williamstown Independent Schools. Former Bellevue superintendent Robb Smith accepted the position of statewide deeper learning director for the Kentucky Association of Educational Cooperatives in March.
As for Middleton's former district in Grant County, Williamstown Independent Schools is still on the lookout for its next superintendent. The district is forming a screening committee of stakeholders to begin meeting in late August, according to its website. The district's former superintendent, Sally Skinner, will act as interim superintendent until the next school leader is hired.
Shelli Wilson took over as Campbell County Schools superintendent this summer after serving the district for 20 years. She replaced David Rust, who announced his retirement in the spring.
New principals for the 2022-23 school year and other leadership changes
Forest Hills is welcoming Tiffany Brennan as the next principal of Nagel Middle School and Joy O'Brien as principal of Maddux Elementary School. Brennan has worked as a principal at Wyoming Middle School and Rapid Run Middle School in the past. O'Brien was most recently assistant principal at Ayer Elementary in the district.
Lauren Gentene left her role as Mason Middle School Principal this summer to take over as Indian Hill Middle School Principal. Jay Reutter will serve as interim principal at Mason Middle School, according to the district's website. The Middle School also has an interim assistant principal, Dan Little, and Mason Early Childhood Center is welcoming assistant principal Joycelyn Senter this school year.
Middletown's Charity Goode was promoted from assistant principal to principal at Rosa Parks Elementary this spring. The district then hired Kate Lohmeyer as the new Rosa Parks Elementary assistant principal. Tracy Neely, the elementary school's former principal, was named curriculum coordinator of the district in the spring.
Milford Exempted Village Schools' Meadowview Elementary will have a new principal this fall: Nicole Ward. She most recently served at Forest Hills' Summit Elementary School as assistant principal, according to the district's website. Shane Ferguson was hired as assistant principal at Milford Junior High.
Reading Community City Schools hired Michael Howton as principal of its Junior and Senior High School, the website states.
Lockland Schools' new K-12 principal is Karen Clemons, the district announced in mid-July. She comes to the district with more than 20 years of experience, having served at Mount Healthy City Schools, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place Schools and Cincinnati Public Schools.
Lakota Local Schools has a new treasurer, Adam Zink, who previously served as assistant treasurer under now-retired Jenni Logan. The district also promoted assistant athletic director at Lakota East High School, Jill Meiring, to athletic director, since Rich Bryant moved to Loveland Schools.
Sycamore Community Schools named three new school leaders for the upcoming school year: Janelle Schunk as interim principal of Sycamore Junior High School; Jay Meno as principal of E.H. Greene Intermediate; and Taylor Porter as principal of Sycamore High School. Porter comes to the district from Cincinnati Public Schools, where he served as principal for Gamble Montessori High School since 2019.
Springboro Schools named interim principal Maureen Ruether as principal for Springboro Junior High this spring, according to a letter from the district.
Ryan Bellamy is the new principal at Fairfield Senior High School, replacing William Rice who recently became assistant superintendent of the district. Bellamy was assistant principal at the high school and will be replaced by Ricardo Calles. The district also welcomes new hires Eric Stephenson as new assistant principal at Crossroads Middle School, Jenny Willicut as new assistant principal at Compass Elementary and Kim Hauer as director of human resources.
At Northwest Local School District, Nadia Hall is the new principal of Northwest High School. The district also hired Ryan Whitaker for the upcoming school year as an assistant principal at Monfort Heights Elementary School.
Former assistant principal Greg Pottebaum at West Clermont High School was promoted to principal this summer. Taylor Cox will take his place as assistant principal at the high school, and the district hired Ryan Fessler as assistant principal at West Clermont Middle School.
Talawanda Middle School also has a new principal: Tim Derickson. He previously worked for Lakota Local Schools and most recently served as principal at Batavia High School, according to the district's website.
William Henry Harrison High School welcomes Joseph Pollitt as its new principal this school year. He comes to Southwest Local Schools from Northwest High School, where he served as principal for the last two years.
Batavia Local Schools named Andrea Conner as its new principal for the high school in the spring. Conner previously worked at the district as a teacher but most recently was working at Loveland City Schools as the assistant superintendent.
Northern Kentucky
Kenton County School District has three new principals this school year: Alan Yanke was assistant principal at Scott High School before taking over the principal role in mid-July; Roger Stainforth was promoted from assistant principal to principal at Dixie Heights High School in June; and Lafon Benton is now principal at Woodland Middle School after serving as an assistant principal at Dixie Heights for a decade.
Campbell County Schools welcomed Carolyn Stewart as the new principal of its Area Technology Center and Holly Phelps as the new principal at Campbell County High School in June. Chris Barwell left his position as principal at Stephens Elementary School in Boone County and is now the principal at Campbell County Middle School. The district also welcomed former Campbell County High School principal Adam Ritter as its new associate superintendent and Patty Bitsilly as assistant director of special education for the upcoming school year.
Grant County Schools will also have several new school leaders this year. David Jones is the new principal at Mason Corinth Elementary. The elementary school's former principal, Todd Moody, is the new leader of Grant County High School. Shannon Brickler was announced in late July as the interim principal at Sherman Elementary after serving the district as a teacher and curriculum specialist for 19 years.
A former special education teacher and assistant principal at Covington's Sixth District Elementary School will serve as principal this coming school year. Joe Moran is replacing Brian Walz at the elementary school since Walz is retiring after 27 years in education, according to the district's website. Covington Independent Schools' Transformational Learning Center is also getting a new principal: Sean Bohannon, a 26-year veteran of the district who is replacing another retiree, Lorie Duffy. The Transformational Learning Center is for students with behavioral issues or who have been suspended from school.
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Williamstown Independent Schools welcomed a new principal to its Junior and Senior High School in May. New principal Ryan Neaves served as assistant principal at the school last year.
At Newport Independent School District, Jennifer Michael is taking over as the new principal of Newport Intermediate School. She served as assistant principal at the school for three years. The district announced Tim Grayson as new Newport High School principal after former principal Mike Hunter was named district athletic director in June. Grayson has 30 years of experience in public education and most recently served as director of facilities and transportation for the district.
Fort Thomas Independent Schools promoted former assistant principal John Gesenhues to principal of Woodfill Elementary School, according to the district's website. He is stepping into the role after Keith Faust, former Woodfill Elementary School principal, took on an assistant superintendent job with the district.
Boone County Schools' Stephens Elementary School has a new principal, too: Eric Blankenship, formerly of Campbell County Middle School. He posted a video to YouTube displaying his excitement to serve the community he lives in.
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