Additional reporting by Jordan Taylor and Marisa YunkerCover design by Bari Schwartz

Graphics by Tyler Mullins

Elgin Card knows he’s got a challenge ahead of him. Card, 42, who has been promoted from Lakota West Fresh-man Campus associate principal to Main Campus principal, readily admits as much.

“I’ll be honest: I know I have a big challenge ahead of me coming up. I know I’ll have a lot of time constraints on me.

“Anytime you start a new position, you think you know what’s going to happen. But there are always going to be things that come up and you have to react,” Card said.

Nevertheless, Card, characteristically, will go into his new position with firm goals.

“I want to be able to continue the academic excellence that Lakota West has had. This year, I want to be able to continue to build that positive relationship with them [main campus students],” Card said.

Card is notorious at the Freshman Campus for his vis-ibility. He makes a point of interacting frequently with his students.

“Hopefully, [main campus students] will see, as, I think, some of the freshman students have seen this year, that I’m pretty approachable. They can come talk to me about things. You may not always get your way, but at least I’m going to listen.

“And there are times when some young people bring up good points and we adjust some of the things we do. But there are other times – and more than not, probably – that we have to make some tough decisions that young people don’t like…eventually I have to come to a decision as the principal to make the decisions that I feel are best for the school. And that’s what I’ll do,” Card said.

Card has made changes at the freshman campus through-out the 2011-2012 school year, and will continue to institute those changes as Main Campus principal.

“There are some things I would like to clean up a little bit as far as making sure we’re where we’re supposed to be when we’re supposed to be; making sure that the students come to school dressed to learn and in a professional man-ner. That’s lacking at certain times,” Card said.

Overall, though, Card said, students can expect the Main Campus to be run much as it is under retiring princi-pal Richard Hamilton.

“I really don’t believe in going in and making major changes to something that’s pretty good right now,” Card said.

Incoming prin-cipal Card up for challengeMeggie ZahneisStaff Reporter

East adminstration also get-ting a rebootWith current Lakota East High School principal Dr. Keith Kline opting to take a position as assistant superintendent in the West Clermont Local School District, the Lakota Board of Education approved superintendent Dr. Karen Mantia’s recommendation to appoint Suzanna Davis as East principal. Davis has served as the Lakota East Freshman Campus’ associate principal since August of 2007. Mantia told WestChesterBuzz.com that tapping Davis for the principal job was an easy decision. “She is firm, but fair and innovative, so she is definitely the right fit,” Mantia said. Davis herself is honored to accept the job, according to WestChesterBuzz’s Adam Kiefaber. “I have had the opportunity to watch Lakota East evolve into a world-class high school, with an outstanding staff, engaged parents, a sup-portive community and the best high school students in the na-tion. I look forward to continuing to build on that strong foundation.”

Meggie ZahneisStaff Reporter