Longtime assistant principal to head Lakeland Elementary

During a faculty meeting Thursday morning at Lakeland Elementary School, Supt. Ted Horrell named longtime assistant principal Joretha Lockhart as the school’s next principal.

Lockhart, 42, will take over the role in July and will serve as the first principal under the new municipal Lakeland School System.

In selecting Lockhart, Horrell said she “brings a deep understanding of the importance of classroom teachers and the primary role they play in educating children. She also understands the high academic expectations of the Lakeland community and what it takes to meet and exceed those expectations.”

Current principal Marcia Crouch is retiring at the end of the school year. She will work closely with Lockhart to ensure a smooth transition.

Lockhart, who previously worked as a Southwind Elementary classroom teacher, has been an assistant principal since the school opened 13 years ago.

“I will work to make sure every student, parent, teacher, staff member, and community member feels important and involved in the place I call home, Lakeland Elementary School,” Lockhart said.

Lockhart has an education specialist degree and master’s degree in curricu- lum and instruction from Union University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis.

Her husband, Eugene Lockhart Jr., is principal at Holmes Road Elementary in the Shelby County Schools system. The couple live in Arlington and have two sons.

Lakeland Elementary, with about 850 K-5 students, will have 55 teaching positions.

“Current teachers will not have to apply for their jobs and are guaranteed their positions as long as we have the student numbers to support each position and the teachers want to remain in the positions,” Horrell said. Joretha Lockhart