Lawrence schools name new principals for Woodlawn, Liberty Memorial Central Middle

Lawrence Public Schools has chosen two principals whose ties to the district run deep, a change that will shape daily life at Woodlawn Elementary School and Liberty Memorial Central Middle School when classes resume in the fall. Meg Clark will lead Woodlawn and Phillip Mitchell will lead Liberty Memorial Central Middle, with both appointments taking effect July 1 after current principals Brandon Daley and Jennifer Schmitt step down June 30.

For parents, the leadership shift matters because principals set the tone for school culture, handle discipline, guide academic priorities and decide how clearly schools communicate with families. That makes the transition especially important at two schools with strong identities and long histories in Lawrence.

Clark comes to Woodlawn from Topeka Public Schools, where she has spent the past two years as an assistant principal. Before that, she taught fourth grade at Quail Run Elementary School and worked as a curriculum and instruction coach at Broken Arrow. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University and a master’s in educational administration from Emporia State University. In district materials, Clark said she looks forward to getting to know students, staff and families and building strong partnerships.

Her arrival comes to a school with a notable legacy. Woodlawn says it was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2010 for achievement and student success, and the school describes itself as a historical facility with a proud record of academic and social achievement. Daley, who has been at Woodlawn since 2016, taught fifth grade from 2016 to 2022 and fourth and fifth grade in 2022-23 before moving into instructional coaching and academic intervention work. He holds degrees from the University of Kansas, Fort Hays State University and Emporia State University.

At Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, Mitchell brings both classroom experience and neighborhood roots. He spent 15 years at Free State High School as a social studies teacher and coach before joining LMCMS in 2023 as assistant principal and athletic director. He earned degrees and a leadership license from KU, has lived in Lawrence for 22 years, and his partner, Lauren, teaches kindergarten in the district. Their three children attend Lawrence Public Schools.

Mitchell’s new role comes as LMCMS continues to build on its more than 100 years of student success and on the STEAM@LMCMS program launched during the 2024-25 school year. His experience on the district’s Budget and Program Evaluation Committee and Futures Planning Committee gave him a closer look at the pressures affecting classrooms, and it points to a principal who is likely to focus on stability, family partnerships and expanding opportunities for middle school students.

The changes arrive as Woodlawn’s spring calendar includes Fastbridge testing and WOW Fest!, while the district’s board continues its twice-monthly schedule on the second and fourth Mondays. For families preparing for next year, the biggest question is how each new principal will turn a personnel change into a new rhythm for students, teachers and parents.