Licking R-VIII School District’s Board of Education finalized interviews Monday evening, November 21, 2022. The Board of Education is pleased to announce the upcoming appointment of Mrs. Telena Haneline as the next Superintendent of Schools. Mrs. Haneline will succeed Mrs. Cristina Wright, who is relocating at the end of the school year after five years of service in Licking. The Board expects to formally appoint Mrs. Haneline at its meeting on December 12.
The Board selected Mrs. Haneline after a comprehensive search process that produced a large and diverse group of candidates. The Board used stakeholder feedback from a recent survey to identify key characteristics desirable in the new leader. The feedback was synthesized and compiled into a “leadership profile” that was used to create interview questions and guide the entire process.
Board President Rawly Gorman said, “The Board was motivated by our love of the school district and the Licking Community. All of the Board members are life-long residents of Licking and have the same shared values and objectives, to provide for the best education experience possible. We were looking for a candidate with a clear vision for the district, and who had the ability to implement that vision in a way that would bring the teachers, staff, and community together. We found that in Mrs. Haneline.”
Our school community made clear to us that our next educational leader needed to have a track record of experience and success in unifying stakeholders around a vision and strategic plan, the ability to communicate effectively with all members of the school community, and the creativity to align funding with long term academic success and safety across campus. “Mrs. Haneline impressed the Board with her energy, thoughtfulness, and detailed vision for continuing to inspire success,” Board Vice President Alan Quick said.
Mrs. Haneline began her career in education as an elementary teacher in Waynesville R-VI School District. From there, Mrs. Haneline and her family moved to Colorado where she taught elementary grades in a charter school. Mrs. Haneline continued her career at Dent-Phelps R-III School District as elementary teacher and mentor coordinator. Mrs. Haneline returned to Waynesville to teach elementary and act as Leadership Team Facilitator before moving to Pennsylvania to work as elementary teacher at Baltimore County Schools in Maryland. In 2014, Mrs. Haneline and her family relocated to Tennessee where she taught elementary students and worked as one of the district’s teacher leaders. In 2019, Mrs. Haneline returned to her home community and taught 1st grade at Licking R-VIII School District before accepting a position as Teaching Methods Coach and then Elementary Academic Services Principal before her appointment as Superintendent.
Mrs. Haneline is a graduate of Licking High School and Drury University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in education. Mrs. Haneline went on to pursue her master’s degree from Colorado Christian University and her specialist degree from Southwest Baptist University in educational administration. Mrs. Haneline is finalizing her dissertation in anticipation of earning her doctoral degree from SBU in 2023.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the Board for having the confidence in me to become the next Superintendent for the District. Our shared beliefs and values, which are encompassed within the District’s Continuous School Improvement Plan and the various responses from stakeholder surveys, will allow us to continue the great work that the Board, Mrs. Wright, staff members, and the community have initiated over the past several years. I am thrilled to get started on our work together on behalf of each Licking R-VIII family and staff member,” said Mrs. Haneline.
Mrs. Haneline credits the support from her family for her ability to spend long hours leading the district. She has been married to her husband, Chris Haneline, for 20 years this coming January. Mrs. Haneline is very proud to have a senior, Ally, who will also be a Licking graduate this May, and Lesa, who is currently enjoying sixth grade at Licking Elementary. Mrs. Haneline also credits her extended family for their love and support.
We would like to thank our teachers, administrators, staff, students, parents, and community members for their feedback throughout this process. The Board will share plans to introduce Mrs. Haneline to the Licking community in the coming months.