Lorri Stivers worked for one year as a middle school Student Achievement Advocate for Shelby County Public Schools during 2002.  This is the position that she points to as pivotal in her desire to become a school administrator. She comes “home” from Henry County Middle where she has been assistant principal for six years. Her husband, J.T., went to East Middle. They have two sons, Ryan and Will.

Stivers began her career at Lloyd Memorial High School in 1996 when she taught English, Psychology, and Journalism.  She is a graduate of Cumberland College and the University of Louisville, quickly adding, however, “Everyone in my family bleeds blue, though,” referring to the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

Stivers acknowledged communication as one of her characteristics, mentioning how she spoke to every parent of any child in which she had interaction during a school day, whether it was negative or positive. Part of the reason is because of her own middle school experience in Texas where she was picked on consistently.

She cannot recall one single middle school teacher ever taking an interest in her. “God must have an awesome sense of humor because here I am in charge of a middle school setting,” she said with a laugh. “But I don’t want any child to dread coming to school like I did.”

That is why Stivers believes wholeheartedly in building relationships with students. “It was not until high school can I remember a teacher investing time and energy in me,” she recalled. That investment paid off because Stivers has now invested her life to education.

Her expectations for staff members are the same, saying, “I want every teacher to be a professional learner on a continual journey of improvement. I like taking calculated risks. I become better with each attempt.”