photo by: Lawrence school district

Waymond Ervin

The leader of a Kansas City, Missouri, high school has been selected as the Lawrence school district’s director of secondary schools.

Superintendent Anthony Lewis has chosen Waymond Ervin, principal of Northeast High School in Kansas City, to begin work July 1, pending school board approval.

“Dr. Ervin has more than 22 years of experience as a teacher, mentor, and educational leader with proven strengths in school improvement, positive behavior interventions, transforming building cultures, and developing effective school leaders,” Lewis said in a news release Friday. “We look forward to his support of our secondary building administrators as they continue to focus on improving student attendance, engagement, belonging, academic performance, and well-being.”

This is Ervin’s fifth year in his present position. He previously served as an intervention assistant team manager, assistant principal, instructional coordinator, academic coach and English language arts teacher for 17 years in the Houston Independent School District. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Houston, a master’s at Prairie View A&M University and a doctorate at the University of Houston.

“I am extremely proud to be joining Lawrence Public Schools and being a part of a community that ensures that all students have the best choices and opportunities to be successful academically, socially, and emotionally. I am most looking forward to serving the secondary school leaders and empowering them to continue along the trajectory to success,” Ervin said in the release.

Elementary and secondary director positions were among $6.4 million in staffing reductions approved by the board in March of 2022 to balance the budget and provide staff raises; however, after “a comprehensive look at the present budget and reflection on the board’s financial priorities,” the district decided to reinstate both positions.

Earlier this week, the district announced that Woodlawn Elementary School’s principal, Jayci Roberson, had been selected as director of elementary schools, pending school board approval.