photo by: Contributed

Jeff Harkin

Lawrence’s St. John Catholic School on Friday announced the hiring of a new principal.

Longtime Lawrence educator Jeff Harkin has been named to lead the parish school at 1234 Kentucky St., which teaches preschool through eighth grade.

Harkin grew up attending Catholic schools in Iowa before locating in Kansas to pursue a career in teaching and education administration, according to a release from the school. He spent a number of years as a social studies teacher and athletic director in the Lawrence school district before becoming principal of Liberty Memorial Central Middle School and, most recently, assistant principal of Free State High School, which he retired from in 2022.

According to a news release from the Lawrence school district at the time of his retirement, Harkin earned his bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University and his master’s at Emporia State University. He joined the Lawrence district in 1993 and, other than three years working in Olathe schools, has spent his whole career in Lawrence.