Lakewood's new principals

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

Lakewood's new principals

Postby Edward Favre » Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:58 am

Last night, the Board of Education approved the hiring of four principals for the 2013-2014 school year to replace two retiring principals and two who will be moving into other administrative positions with the district. The Board has high expectations of the new assignments for the benefit of all our kids.

Harding Middle School Principal Keith Ahearn will become the new principal at Lakewood High School, replacing Dr. Bill Wagner, who is moving into the position of Director of Human Resources for the district.

Ahearn joined Lakewood Schools as Harding's principal in 2009. Prior to coming to Lakewood, Ahearn was principal at Garfield Heights Middle School. Under Ahearn's leadership, Harding was rated Excellent with Distinction on the latest State of Ohio report card. Ahearn earned a bachelor's in History from Fairfield University in Connecticut and his master's in Education Administration from John Carroll and has studied at Harvard University's Institute for School Leadership.

"We were very fortunate to have an excellent candidate in our own school system to replace Dr. Wagner at LHS," said Superintendent Jeff Patterson. "We look forward to Mr. Ahearn's leadership as the next high school principal."

Ahearn thanked the Board for "an amazing opportunity."

"I am excited to serve the staff, students and parents of LHS as they are, in my opinion, the center of this community," he said.

Three elementary principals have been approved by the Board, although their building assignments have not yet been determined. Joining Lakewood City Schools' administrative team will be Sandra Kozelka, currently an Instructional Coach for the district, Sabrina Crawford and Sandra Powers.

Kozelka has been with the district for 22 years and has served as a primary teacher, Mentor, Elementary School Facilitator and district Instructional Coach. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Baldwin Wallace University.

"In the many roles that Sandy has had with the district, she has always placed thee learning needs of children first through her collaboration with her colleagues, her knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and our Lakewood community," Patterson said.

Crawford has nearly 15 years experience in education as both a teacher and principal. She comes to Lakewood from Warren City Schools. Her leadership skills have been developed through her roles as an elementary principal and high school assistant principal. She is well versed in the Ohio Improvement Process and providing instructional leadership in the Core Curriculum. She holds an undergraduate degree from Kentucky State and a master's in Educational Administration from John Carroll. She is currently working on her Superintendent's license from Ashland University.

Powers joins Lakewood after working for the past 20 years in the Garfield Heights City Schools, where she has worked as both a principal and assistant principal at the elementary and middle school levels.

Powers received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Cleveland State University. Powers also studied at the Harvard University Institute for School Leadership.

The three new elementary principals will replace Noreen Hazen, who retired from Lincoln Elementary, Dr. Kathleen McGorray, who retired from Horace Mann Elementary, and Roxann Ramsey, who will be leaving Grant to become Director of Teaching & Learning K-12.

The Board also approved a new administrative role for Brian Siftar for the 2013-2014 school year. Siftar, currently Coordinator of State & Federal Programs/Gifted & Testing. SIftar will become the district's Director of Special Programs effective Aug. 1. In this new position, he will add Information & Technology to his existing responsibilities.


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