Lawrence public schools Superintendent Rick Doll has announced the retirement of South Middle School Assistant Principal Lynn Harrod.

Harrod, who was also a student in the district, will retire at the end of the current school year after 31 years of employment.

South Middle School Assistant Principal Lynn Harrod

“Lawrence has always been my heart, soul and family,” Harrod said. “It has been my honor serving as a para-educator, teacher, coach and administrator here.”

Of his 31 years in the district, Harrod has served 20 years as assistant principal at South Middle School. Harrod joined Lawrence Public Schools in 1985 as a para-educator and coach. He taught social studies at Lawrence High and Central Junior High and social studies and physical education at West Junior High. Harrod started the varsity baseball program at Lawrence High and coached baseball, basketball, soccer and football.

“It’s gratifying for a school district to see one of its graduates go on to have such a lengthy and storied career as an educator and administrator here,” Doll said.

Harrod earned his bachelor’s degree at Baker University and his master’s from Kansas University.

The Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators named Harrod its 2014-15 Exemplary Middle School Assistant Principal. In 2015, he earned the Douglas County Child Abuse Prevention Task Force’s Champion for Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Award and the Lawrence Police Department’s Citizen Meritorious Public Service Award.

Lynn’s wife, Lisa, teaches fourth grade at Broken Arrow Elementary. His mother, Norma, teaches ESL classes at the Lawrence Adult Learning Center.

The district will immediately begin a search to fill the vacancy for the upcoming school year.