LAPEL — Change is good, it is often said. Frankton-Lapel Community Schools is banking on the motto being true.

In preparation for the 2018-19 school year, the district has shuffled several leadership positions at Lapel High School and Lapel Middle School after employees expressed interest in different roles.

The changes started, though, when the school board approved the resignation of one employee, Greg Allison, dean of students at Lapel Middle School, who had been on the job nine years.

Allison’s departure started a chain of job openings district officials were able to fill internally, Superintendent Bobby Fields said.

Jimmie Howell, high school athletic director, expressed interest in moving to Lapel Middle School to replace Allison and also take over athletic director duties there.

Howell will remain the head basketball coach at the high school boys varsity basketball team, but he was looking for a job that would allow him a little more family time on nights and weekends, Fields said.

With Howell leaving his position at the high school, Lapel Middle School Principal Bill Chase, who had been athletic director at the high school prior to Howell, decided it was a job he wanted to do again.

With Chase moving to the high school, his principalship at the middle school was open; in stepped Chad Kemerly, principal at Lapel High School.

Kemerly, who had been the principal at the high school for several years, decided it was time for a change.

“I’m really looking forward to the move,” Kemerly said.

While Kemerly said he enjoyed being principal at the high school, he said he’s always enjoyed working with middle school-age children more and felt the move was right for him and the district.

District leaders approved all the changes.

“It was all just a bunch of musical chairs, but of their own accord,” Fields said with a laugh. “It’s not anything we did or forced anyone to do.”

John Willis, who just finished his fifth year as the assistant principal at Lapel High School, has moved up to take Kemerly’s spot as the new principal.

Willis is excited, he said, and is looking forward to his new role and the opportunities it will bring.

“We have a great student body, great staff and great community that supports our schools,” Willis said.

When he started in education, Willis had no plans to become part of the Lapel administrative team, he said. All Willis knew was he enjoyed children and wanted to teach them the importance of math and how to apply it in their everyday lives.

After a couple of years in the classroom, Willis changed his mind and felt the administrative route would provide a better opportunity to interact with students in a different environment and help direct and guide them through social and emotional situations.

“I have enjoyed my time and experiences as the assistant principal and look forward to many more as the principal,” he said.

Willis said he feels he is following in the footsteps of principals who have done good things at Lapel High School and believes the ship is heading in the right direction.

However, change is inevitable, he said, and he plans to work with staff and administrators to determine areas of improvement, so they can keep the high school moving forward.

He said there’s a search on for a new assistant principal to take his former position.