photo by: Contributed

Jennifer Schmitt

The interim principal at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School has been promoted to the role of principal, according to a news release Wednesday from the Lawrence school district.

Jennifer Schmitt, who had been interim since July, has served in several capacities with the district, including as interim principal at the former Pinckney Elementary School for a year, assistant principal at Lawrence High for two years, and as an instructional learning coach at Billy Mills Middle School for two years. She also spent a combined five and a half years teaching Spanish at Lawrence High, Free State High and LMCMS, and she coached girls high school golf for five years. Prior to joining the Lawrence school district, Schmitt served as a dual-language curriculum coordinator at Scott Dual Language Magnet Elementary in Topeka for one year, and she taught Spanish for two years in the Shawnee Heights school district.

“Dr. Schmitt continues to build relationships with students and families, bring new and existing staff together, and focus as a school family on supporting our scholars and working toward school improvement goals,” Lawrence Superintendent Anthony Lewis said in the release.

Lewis said Schmitt had been integral in planning for Liberty Memorial Central’s switch to a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, or STEAM, curriculum beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

“While assisting the school community in celebrating (the recent LMCMS) centennial, Dr. Schmitt has provided ideas and insights essential to the middle school redesign committee’s work in planning an exciting future for the school,” Lewis said.

Schmitt earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Kansas, a master’s at Fort Hays State University and a doctorate at KU.

“LMCMS is a wonderful community of students, families, and staff,” Schmitt said in the news release. “To be able to continue leading our school as we transition our curricular model to better serve our learners is an honor.”

Schmitt’s promotion to principal is pending board approval.