Lorain Schools announces new administrators

LORAIN — Three new administrators are coming to Lorain Schools in the fall. The district announced the new principals of General Johnnie Wilson and Southview middle schools, as well as its executive director of curriculum and instruction on its website. Nikole Barfield-Davis will head GJW Middle School for the coming school year. She replaces Kejuana Jefferson, who did not seek contract renewal earlier this year. Barfield-Davis was hired by the district in 2000 as a psychologist, and advanced into administrative roles including Lorain High School assistant principal in 2009, principal of Credit Recovery Academy in 2011 and dean of scholars at Lorain High School in 2018. She holds a five-year professional principal license for prekindergarten through 12th grades and a five-year professional school psychologist license, according to the Ohio Department of Education. Paul Williams will head Southview Middle, a position previously held by Tim Jama. It is unclear what position Jama will hold, though he was a high school administrator before a staffing shuffle by former CEO David Hardy Jr. at the start of the 2019-20 school year moved him to the middle school. Williams was hired by the district as a social studies teacher at Southview in 2004. he later worked as assistant principal at Frank Jacinto Elementary in 2012, principal at New Beginnings Academy in 2014 and dean of scholar and family engagement at Hawthorne Elementary in 2018. He holds a five-year professional principal license for prekindergarten through 12th grade and a five-year professional teaching license for integrated social studies, according to the Ohio Department of Education. Michael Scott will serve as the head of curriculum and instruction. It is unclear if this is an entirely new position. Scott was hired as an English teacher at Southview High and Admiral King High Schools in 2003, later becoming assistant principal at Southview High in 2008, principal of General Johnnie Wilson Middle School in 2012, and director of professional development in 2016. He also worked in Oberlin and Canton schools. He holds a five-year professional principal license for fifth through 12th grades, according to the Ohio Department of Education. They join Patrick Coleman, the new principal for Lorain High School, as changes in building administration for the upcoming school year.