LEXINGTON — There will be a new administrative team heading up the early grades at Lexington Local Schools this fall.
The he Lexington school board has approved Kelli Catanese as the new principal and Stephanie Coffman as the new assistant principal for Central and Western elementary schools.
Catanese spent last school year as the assistant principal under Scott Curtis. The two alternated between buildings each week.
Catanese said she and Curtis alternated between buildings.
“If I was at Western for a week, he was at Central and then the following week, we switched,” she said.
“It’s kind of a unique challenge, but I enjoyed the opportunity to be in both buildings. I think it worked really well.”
Curtis resigned in June to take an opportunity in another school district. District Supt. Jeremy Secrist said promoting Catanese was an easy decision.
“She is energetic, decisive, builds good relationships and is willing to listen to her staff,” Secrist said. “She was a great reading teacher and her grasp of the classroom and elementary curriculum make her a strong instructional lead.”
Coffman has spent the last eight years as a third-grade teacher. This will be her first administrative role.
“Mrs. Coffman has been in a conversation with us for over a year about her unique leadership abilities and her desire to eventually move into a larger role where she could have an even bigger impact. It was exciting to provide this opportunity for her,” Secrist said.
“Both of these ladies are very deserving of these opportunities, and they have earned our respect and trust through years of fantastic service to our students,” he said.
Catanese is a Lexington grad
Catanese said she has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she could remember.
“I always loved being around kids,” she said. “It felt like the path was always obvious.”
Catanese graduated from Lexington High School in 2000 and earned an early childhood education degree from Ashland University.
After a year of teaching in the district, she relocated to Illinois with her then-fiancee. The couple returned to Richland County a few years later.
Catanese taught six years at Clear Fork Local Valley Local Schools, then took some time off to be a stay-at-home mom.
During that time, she got her master’s in educational administration and principal’s license from Ashland University.
Catanese returned to teaching in 2020 as a part-time Title I reading teacher at Central. After two years, she took the position on full-time.
“After the unfortunate events of COVID, we realized there were a few more kiddos that maybe needed some help,” she said.
One thing Catanese said she enjoyed about her first year in administration was the variety.
“There are so many things that pop up throughout the day that are unexpected. Every day is different and that’s what I love about the job,” she said.
But her favorite part of the job is the same as when she was a teacher — the kids themselves.
“I love having that chance to build those relationships with the students,” she said.
She said her goals for the year include strengthening the schools’ Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program.
“We’re always looking to improve whether it’s lesson delivery, building operations, literacy or instruction,” she added.
She said she’s excited to lead the two buildings with Coffman at her side.
“We’re very similar in our communications styles, she’s got a great work ethic. I’m super excited to have her on board,” she said.
Coffman driven by desire to help all students learn
Coffman grew up in eastern Ohio. She was trained as an early childhood educator and intervention specialist at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and earned a master’s in elementary reading and math from Walden University.
Coffman spent two years as an intervention specialists and five years as a third grade teacher at East Knox Elementary School before taking a job in Lexington Local Schools.
“I have a passion and a heart for all kids at all ability levels,” she said.
“I have always found joy in being able to see that lightbulb that comes on in a kid’s eyes when they’ve been working really hard at trying to answer a question in class.”
Coffman said it’s important for teachers to figure out different ways to help students learn, because not all children learn the same way — but the challenge makes the end result that much more rewarding.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with my team to figure out ways to help the kids and to grow and learn more as educators,” she said.
Coffman has spent the last eight years teaching third grade in the district. She’s currently working towards a second master’s degree in school leadership from Concordia University.
“I actually had a third grade teacher that was so impactful in my life and I realized even at that at moment that I wanted to be a teacher,” Coffman said.
“I didn’t necessarily know that it was going to be in third grade at the time, but the majority of my career has been in third grade.”
Coffman said mentoring student teachers helped her decide she wanted to pursue an administrative role. For her, it’s about the chance to help as many people as possible.
“A couple years ago, I just started feeling this stirring in my soul to help serve more kids and the families and staff,” she said.
“I feel like we’re all placed in the area where we’re at for a reason … I’m very excited to take on this role, especially working side by side with Kelli (Catanese).”