Lakota Gears Up for 2024-2025 with Key Administrative Moves

Lakota Local Schools has announced several administrative moves as it prepares to welcome back staff and students for the 2024-2025 school year. “The start of the new year is always filled with excitement,” said new Superintendent Ashley Whitely. “Our teams have been working all summer long to prepare our schools for the new year. We can’t wait to welcome back our students and staff.”

Early Childhood Schools (ECS)

Ben Schneider moves to Heritage ECS as principal after serving as Endeavor Elementary School’s assistant principal since 2021. Joining Schneider at Heritage is Chelsea Nichols who will serve as assistant principal. Nichols is new to Lakota, coming from Bellbook-Sugarcreek Schools where she served as an elementary school intervention specialist.

Michele Huber has been named principal at Shawnee ECS. Huber moves to Shawnee from Woodland Elementary where she has served as assistant principal since 2019. Joining Huber as assistant principal is Diana Riemenschneider. Riemenschneider comes to Lakota from Mt. Healthy City Schools where she most recently served as an assistant principal. 

Elementary Schools

Adena Elementary School will be led by Jordan Eisenhard as principal. Eisenhard has served as the school’s assistant principal since 2020. Shannon Langston will join the Adena administrative team as assistant principal from Milford Exempted Village Schools, where she has served students since 2014.

Caroline Ware will shift from being a special education teacher to serving as Endeavor Elementary School’s assistant principal. Ware has served Endeavor students since 2015.

Jacob White has been named principal at Union Elementary School, where he has served as assistant principal since 2023. Prior to his role at Union, White served as an assistant principal at Edgewood City Schools. Joining White as assistant principal is Brittany Dickerson. Dickerson moved to Lakota from the Hamilton County Educational Service Center where she served as an educational consultant.

Woodland Elementary School welcomes Amy Hoerst as its new assistant principal. Hoerst comes to Lakota from the Hamilton County Educational Service Center where she has provided intervention and support services since 2017.

High Schools

Eric Bauman has been named associate principal at Lakota Central where he has served as both teacher and assistant principal since 2022. Bauman served as Liberty Junior School’s principal for 10 years before joining the Lakota Central team.

Scott Laman has been named the new principal at Lakota West High School. Laman has served as associate principal at West Freshman since 2021. Joining Laman as assistant principal at West’s main campus is Kate Joseph, who has served as Lakota Central’s principal since 2022.

Taryn Barker has been named associate principal at West Freshman where she has served as assistant principal since 2021. Daniel Hartman joins the West Freshman administrative team as assistant principal. Hartman comes to Lakota from Indiana where he most recently served as a middle school assistant principal and athletic director.

District

Andrea Longworth has been named executive director of pupil personnel services. In this new role, Longworth, who has served Lakota students for 20 years, will oversee several departments, including special services for which she was the executive director.

Traci Hummer joins Lakota’s pupil personnel services department as the assistant director of guidance-504s. Hummer has served as Shawnee Early Childhood School’s principal since 2022.

Paula Hickey returns to Lakota as assistant director specialized programming. Hickey previously served as an assistant director of special services.

Emily Hermann has been named director of K-6 curriculum. Hermann previously served as the assistant director of K2 program development for Lakota.

Megan Ginther and Lara House join the district as assistant directors of K-6 curriculum. Ginther comes to Lakota from Sycamore Community Schools where she has served as supervisor of teaching and learning since 2022. House comes to the district from Mt. Healthy City Schools where she most recently served as an elementary school principal.