By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TWP. - Little Miami High School will lose its head football coach, who is moving to Lakota East High School as an assistant principal.

Eric Bauman was one of three administrators hired this week by the Lakota Board of Education.

Bauman is replacing Keith Kline, who was named principal at Freedom Elementary School last year. For the past school year Lakota East head football coach Greg Bailie has served as interim assistant principal.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be here, to be associated with one of the best school districts in Ohio. It's a great day to be a Thunderhawk," Bauman said.

He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Dayton along with master's degrees from Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati. Bauman has previously taught in the Worthington, Loveland and Little Miami Schools and is a past summer school principal at Little Miami.

At Shawnee Elementary School it will be a reunion when Ericka Simmons - Shawnee's former assistant principal - returns as principal. For the past year Simmons was a principal in the Winton Woods Schools.

"We're excited about Ericka's return,'' said Superintendent Kathleen Klink. "She was an integral part of the administrative team at Shawnee, well respected by parents, students and staff."

Simmons holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University and master's degrees from MU and UC. She has taught in Winton Woods and Sycamore schools.

Educators didn't look far to find VanGorden Elementary School's new principal. Woodland Elementary assistant principal Tim Weber was named principal at VanGorden.

"I leave behind three years at Woodland. I am so excited about this opportunity," Weber said.

He holds a bachelor's degree from MU and a master's from UC. He has been an assistant principal in the Forest Hills Schools and taught at Sycamore and Lakota.

Weber will earn $74,000 annually. Salaries were set at $71,500 for Bauman and $78,295 for Simmons.