Lake Ridge Academy Announces New Head of School, Mitchell F. White

The Lake Ridge Academy Board of Directors has announced the unanimous selection of Mitchell F. White as the next Head of School, effective July 1, 2018. Mr. White will succeed Carol Klimas, who announced her retirement in July 2017 after serving as President of the school since June 2007.

Mr. White currently serves as Dean of Academic Planning for the Weber School in Atlanta, Georgia, and brings nearly three decades of exceptional achievement in both education and business management. Following an extensive national and international search, a clear picture of Mr. White emerged as a school leader with a deep commitment to young people, collaborative leadership skills, substantial financial acumen, infectious enthusiasm, and a deep understanding of the role schools play in making meaningful contributions to the larger community.

Lake Ridge Academy Board Chair Rebecca Ruppert McMahon commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Mitch to Lake Ridge Academy. To lead us into the next chapter of excellence, the Board of Directors sough a visionary, inclusive leader who will embrace the culture and the mission of our school. Mitch’s vision, experience and passion made him a stand-out candidate. We have every confidence that as our new head of school, Mitch will advance the forward momentum Lake Ridge Academy gained during a decade of tremendous progress and growth under the extraordinary leadership of President Carol Klimas.”

Mr. White earned a B.A. from Duke University, a J.D., magna cum laude from Georgia State University, an M.A.T. in secondary school history from Emory University, and most recently, an M. Ed. in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University where he was recognized as a Peabody Honors Scholar. Prior to entering the field of education, Mr. White spent 19 years in marketing and senior management roles in for-profit companies, most recently at GMAC Insurance, where he was Chief Marketing Officer. In 2008, eager to spend the rest of his career doing “something more meaningful,” he joined the faculty at the Weber School, a 270-student independent Jewish high school located just outside Atlanta. During his tenure at Weber, he served as a full-time social studies teacher, the Director of Technology, grade level dean for the 11th and 12th grades, and mock trial coach in addition to his current role as the Dean of Academic Planning.

Mr. White also serves on the Board of the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School, a 650-student, K-8 public charter school where he is currently in his third and final year as Board Chair. During his tenure, the school’s significant accomplishments include raising more than $13 million in public and private funding for its multi-school teacher residency program, and becoming the first charter school in Georgia to adopt a weighted lottery designed to increase the socio-economic diversity of its student community.

A native of Wyoming, Ohio, Mr. White looks forward to returning to his home state and joining the Lake Ridge Academy community. He stated, “During my recent visit to Lake Ridge Academy, I found a remarkable school with outstanding academic programming, an expansive campus, and a strong sense of mission. I saw a vibrant and growing community that reflected excellence across the board. What truly stood out, however, were the warmth, openness and confidence of the people I met. I could tell everyone – teachers, staff, students, parents, alumni, and directors – had a love of the school and a shared sense of purpose. I knew immediately that I wanted my family to become a part of this unique community. I am grateful, humbled, and energized by the confidence the Lake Ridge Academy community has placed in me.”

Under Carol Klimas’ transformative leadership, Lake Ridge Academy’s enrollment, fiscal standing and academic offering has grown substantially. The school has expanded its enrollment by almost 20% over the last seven years, making it the fastest growing independent school in Northeast Ohio. In addition, the school’s curriculum offers innovative courses and opportunities in engineering, robotics, biomimicry, scientific research, performing arts and global citizenship.

About Lake Ridge Academy

Lake Ridge Academy (www.lakeridgeacademy.org) is an independent, nonsectarian day school offering co-educational classes from kindergarten through grade 12. Founded in 1963, Lake Ridge Academy is committed to providing small class sizes and maintains an 8:1 student to teacher ratio. Located on a beautiful 93-acre campus in North Ridgeville, Ohio, Lake Ridge Academy is the premier K-12 private college preparatory school on Cleveland’s west side.