Lynne Stark

Vincent Elementary School
Clearview Local Schools
Lorain, Ohio
lynne.stark@clearviewschools.org 

As principal of Vincent Elementary School (VES), Lynne Stark has proven herself a decisive, imaginative, and passionate leader. She prides herself on creating an environment where students and staff feel valued and seen, making affirmations, dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving key components of her daily leadership practice. For Stark, receiving the honor of being named an Ohio Hall of Fame School is a “badge of pride,” and the recognition is well-deserved. In the return to in-person learning, VES students faced significant learning loss that threatened their long-term academic success. Determined to address the problem proactively, Stark led a vertical realignment of the school’s curricular resources and worked with staff to transform the school’s vision and mission, reorienting school culture around unified objectives to guide daily decision making. With a revamped intervention system and the support of co-teachers and academic coaches, VES students are making rapid academic progress, while the school’s new, structured approach to recess management has increased students’ engagement with the school counselor, decreased disciplinary referrals, and is helping students develop foundational social skills through organized games and play. Before becoming a principal, Stark served in a variety of educational roles, including as an elementary teacher, a university student teaching supervisor, an early childhood education program coordinator, and an instructional coach. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Purdue University and an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Ashland University.