By Caleigh Wells
Parents, teachers and students are seeing a lot of changes in Lexington’s city schools this year. Waddell Elementary has a new principal, a new school is under construction, and a new superintendent will take over this summer.
But so far, people are liking what they see. Waddell Principal Timothy Martino is making a positive impression, even though he started his job just last month.
“He works hard, communicates well and takes every opportunity to praise what we are doing,” first grade teacher Janice Burguieres said in an email. “I believe that teachers here are thrilled with having him here.”
Julie Woodzicka is a mother of two Waddell students and one student at Lylburn Downing Middle School. She said Martino has been well received by parents, too.
“The new principal seems to be very enthusiastic, he’s bringing an enthusiasm that wasn’t there before,” she said. “The kids seem very excited about that.”
Woodzicka said parents are also pleased that Scott Jefferies will become superintendent next year, though they will miss him as principal of Lylburn Downing.
“I’m sure he’ll be great at [administration] but I think people are sad that he’s leaving,” she said.
Jefferies was hired as assistant superintendent and Lylburn Downing principal last year. But in January he was named to succeed Superintendent Dan Lyons when Lyons retires in July. Until Martino arrived, Jefferies and Lyons also shared duties as Waddell principal, after former Principal Lisa Clark became a principal in Buena Vista in August.
“It was pretty busy, but I’m thankful for the opportunity because I don’t think I would have the sense of everything the school system is about,” Jefferies said. “The K-8 knowledge that I gathered during that time was very beneficial and has really helped me get a better understanding of what Lexington city schools are all about.”
Martino was a principal for nine years in the metro Washington, D.C., area before coming to Lexington. He said his focus in his first month at Waddell has been on learning the job. His staff has been a big help, he said.
“The parents and the community members that I have met have been very welcoming and made me feel very much at home,” he said. “It’s just a beautiful place, really good people, great kids, outstanding faculty. There’s really not much else you could ask for.”
Martino walked into temporary quarters when he arrived. Waddell is operating from temporary buildings on the campus of Lylburn Downing while a new school is built on the site of the old one along Woods Creek. The building is scheduled for completion in winter 2016.
Meanwhile, Jefferies likes having all the kids from both schools together.
“It’s been great,” he said. “Not too many school systems can say they have all their kids and all their staffs on one campus every single day. I really can’t speak highly enough with both staffs being really gracious and sharing space and really showing some really good professionalism.”
Paul Youngman is the father of a fourth grade student at Waddell. He was surprised by the quality of the temporary classrooms.
“When they said trailers I said, ‘Oh my god, this is going to be awful,’ but they’re really nice,” he said. “It’s been amazing.”
Woodzicka said that even the trailers are an improvement from the old Waddell campus.
“I think the new space is much nicer, and feels really good to the kids,” she said.
Burguieres says teachers are enjoying the better facilities and the proximity to the middle school in the temporary classrooms.
“We’ve enjoyed being on one campus so that we can take advantage of opportunities to work with the middle school teachers and students,” she said. “I think our little ones think it is cool to see the ‘big kids’ around during the day.”