Superintendent Stu Silberman is happy to announce the school-based decision-making council selection of a principal for Lafayette High School. Vicki Ritchie, who is in her fifth year as an associate principal at Paul Laurence Dunbar High, will start July 1 at Lafayette.

 

Ritchie has 23 years of experience in education at the middle and high school levels. She taught mathematics at Bryan Station Middle School and Henry Clay High School before joining the administrative team at Dunbar.

 

“I am very, very honored and very, very excited,” Ritchie said of her new opportunity. “I’m looking forward to working specifically on ways to personalize education for students at Lafayette and working with the great staff and faculty at the school."

 

Ritchie, 46, replaces Mike McKenzie, who has accepted the job of high schools director for the Fayette County Public Schools.

 

“I am looking forward to using Mr. McKenzie’s experience and wonderful leadership as a model. Having him as our high school director will be a great resource,” Ritchie said.

 

She said her first order of business will be to “meet the students, staff and community members and find out the tradition and culture and the great things that are going on at Lafayette, so we can build on those. And also find out concerns people have so we can continue to focus on helping kids find their interests and become great citizens of Lexington.”

 

Ritchie and husband Steve have two boys, Chris, 25, and Michael, 23. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education mathematics, her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, and her rank 1 in supervision and administration all from the University of Kentucky.