3 leadership changes, including new principal, requested by Muscogee County superintendent
Three leadership positions in the Muscogee County School District will change if the board approves those recommendations from the superintendent during their next meeting.
On the agenda for the board’s Sept. 16 meeting are these requests from MCSD Superintendent David Lewis to appoint:
- Cathleen Heider as principal of Clubview Elementary School
- Isaiah Harper as an assistant principal at Northside High School
- Christopher Dryman as federal programs director.
None of the recommendations publicly were discussed during the board’s work session Monday night, and Lewis didn’t reply to the Ledger-Enquirer’s questions before publication.
Here’s a summary of the backgrounds for the pending appointees, based on their resumes attached to the agenda.
Clubview principal
Effective Oct. 1, Heider would succeed Teresa Lawson, who told the Ledger-Enquirer in an emailed interview that she is retiring from the Georgia public school system.
Lawson has been Clubview’s principal for nine years, but she isn’t ending her education career. She will receive her Georgia retirement benefits while working across the Chattahoochee River in Alabama, where she will join Phenix City Schools as principal of Lakewood Elementary School.
“With 29 years of service in Georgia and an opportunity to retire and continue to do what I love at another great school close by, it is a financial opportunity I could not ignore,” Lawson said. “As hard as it is to leave my Clubview family, it is the best scenario for me at this time.”
And she will leave Clubview without regrets, Lawson said.
“Would I do this all over again? The resounding reply is, ‘Yes, without a doubt,’” she said.
Heider’s 23-year career as an educator, all in Columbus, started at Brookstone School as assistant director of the extended day program for students in prekindergarten through eighth grade (2001-05).
While teaching first grade at Edgewood Elementary School (2005-09), she interned at Hardaway High School under then-principal Matt Bell (2005-06) and in the MCSD mentoring program under coordinator Louise Tolbert (2006-07). She taught second grade and third grade at North Columbus Elementary School (2009-13) before joining Clubview.
Heider earned three degrees from Columbus State University: a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (2005) and master’s (2006) and specialist’s (2007) degrees in educational leadership.
Northside assistant principal
Effective Sept. 17, Harper would succeed Nathan Laney, who was promoted in June to Northside principal. Laney filled the vacancy following the May promotion of Marty Richburg to MCSD east region chief, replacing the retired Ronald Wiggins.
All 21 years of Harper’s experience as a school-based educator have been as Northside’s theater teacher, including the past 15 years as fine arts department chairman. He also has been summer theater director at Girls Inc. of Columbus (2015-18) and curriculum developer at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts (2016-17).
Harper earned a bachelor’s degree in English education from Florida State University (2003), a master’s degree in educational leadership from Troy University (2009) and a specialist’s degree in English education curriculum and instruction from Kennesaw State University (2023). He is pursing a doctorate in education curriculum and instruction from Kennesaw, expecting to graduate in 2026.
MCSD federal programs director
Effective Sept. 17, Dryman would succeed Tim Smith, who was promoted in May to chief academic officer, replacing the retired Keith Seifert.
With five years of experience in MCSD, Dryman started as federal programs finance specialist (2019-20) and has been federal programs manager for the past four years.
He previously was production operator at Sign Graphics (2000-04) and finance and purchase manager at Corporate Products, both in Columbus.
Dryman earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Auburn University (1999) and a bachelor’s degree in social science from Troy University (2019).
Why MCSD superintendent David Lewis made these recommendations
None of these recommendations publicly were discussed during the board’s work session Monday night, but Lewis answered the Ledger-Enquirer’s questions in an emailed interview.
Lewis said he selected Heider among 28 applicants and nine interviewed candidates, and he selected Harper among a pool of 80 applicants and 24 interviewed candidates.
“Mrs. Heider and Mr. Harper have both served their respective school communities for the majority of their careers, so their appointments would provide continuity,” Lewis said. “Furthermore, having been an effective teacher and assistant principal at Clubview, Mrs. Heider is well-versed in the tenets of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme that would be beneficial in leading the school forward. Likewise, Mr. Harper has been a highly successful teacher and department chairperson who is committed to the established Northside culture of excellence and is highly respected by students and staff alike.”
Lewis said he selected Dryman among 12 applicants and three interviewed candidates.
“Mr. Dryman has performed proficiently in his previous roles within the department,” Lewis said, “and has earned this promotion as the next step in his career progression.”
This story was originally published September 11, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
