photo by: Contributed

Tina Mitchell

Free State High School Assistant Principal Tina Mitchell has been selected as director of equity and student and family engagement for the Lawrence school district.

Mitchell is currently completing her 14th year at Free State, three as assistant principal and eleven as a school counselor.

“I am honored to transition from my role at Free State to a director position for the district. It has been a privilege to support the students, staff, and families at Free State, and I look forward to continuing that commitment on a broader scale,” Mitchell said in a district news release.

Mitchell will assist the district in defining, evaluating and analyzing the effectiveness of family engagement initiatives on student learning, academic success, attendance and family participation. She will work in collaboration with families to lead the efforts in developing engagement to support education, social services, health, disabilities and volunteer activities.

“We are excited to welcome Tina Mitchell as the director of equity and student and family engagement,” Superintendent Jeanice Swift said in the release. “She brings to this role an impressive combination of commitment and expertise in inclusive practice at the individual, team, and organizational level, as well as proven experience with the day-to-day work to support students and staff, engage families, and effectuate organizational change.”

Before working at Free State, Mitchell was a counselor at West Middle School for five years and a district prevention specialist for all four Lawrence middle schools for six years. She has served as a social worker for five years in Olathe, a therapist and crisis interventionist for two years in Kansas City, Kansas, and a paraeducator for three years at Schwegler Elementary School. Mitchell received a bachelor’s degree at the University of Kansas and master’s degrees from KU and Emporia State University.

The district will begin a search to fill the assistant principal position at Free State.