Lawrence Public Schools names interim Lawrence High, early childhood leaders

Lawrence Public Schools moved to stabilize two of its most visible student pipelines, naming Mike Gillman interim principal at Lawrence High School and bringing Loralea Hubert back to lead early childhood programs. The appointments, announced June 8, come as the district tries to keep families grounded after the death of Lawrence High principal Quentin Rials and before the next school year begins.

Gillman is not a new face in the building. He had served as associate principal at Lawrence High since 2021 and was already listed on the school’s staff page as the associate principal for students with last names L-R. His background also includes work as an assistant principal, athletic director and teacher in Lawrence schools, giving the district a continuity choice at a moment when the school community is still absorbing Rials’ death on May 19 at age 49.

Rials had led Lawrence High since 2023. Before that, he served as interim lead principal at West Middle School during the 2022-23 school year and was named assistant principal at Lawrence High in November 2018. His funeral services were held May 30 at Grace Presbyterian Church, with a visitation the day before, underscoring how recent the loss remains for students, staff and families. A superintendent message titled Leadership Announcements was posted May 26, signaling that the district was preparing a broader set of leadership changes.

For Lawrence High, the immediate challenge is not only finding a steady hand for daily operations, but preserving school climate during a sensitive transition. Superintendent Jeanice Swift said Gillman would help continue the school’s long tradition of excellence while supporting a culture of belonging. The district later plans a full selection process for the permanent principal post, but the interim appointment gives the school a point of stability heading into fall.

Hubert’s return carries similar weight for the district’s youngest learners. She taught in Lawrence Public Schools from 2009 through 2014 and will serve as lead principal for early childhood programs, including Kennedy Early Childhood Center. Kennedy houses Douglas County Early Childhood Developmental Services for birth to age 3, Early Childhood Special Education Services for ages 3-5, and the district’s free pre-K readiness program.

That makes Hubert’s role about more than one building. Kennedy’s pre-K runs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no school on Wednesdays, and it has housed early childhood readiness programming since 2009. As Lawrence Public Schools, which employs more than 1,600 people, heads toward 2026-27, families will be watching whether these interim leaders keep classrooms steady, maintain access to special education and preschool services, and preserve trust during a period of grief and transition.