Lakeland School System has announced that current vice principal Blake Waddell has been selected as the high school principal-elect of Lakeland Preparatory School (LPS). The leadership move comes as the school prepares for a structural shift that will officially divide LPS into two distinct schools—a middle school (grades 5–8) and a high school (grades 9–12)—effective July 1 of this year.
Although both schools will continue operating under one roof, each will move forward with its own dedicated administrative leadership. Current LPS principal Corrie Martin will continue overseeing both middle and high school grades until July 1. At that time, she will transition into her new role as principal of the Lakeland Preparatory Middle School.
To support continuity and ensure a smooth transition, Waddell will serve as high school principal-elect for the remainder of the 2025–26 school year while maintaining his duties as vice principal. During this period, he will train directly under Martin before officially stepping into the high school principal role this summer.
A native of Chattanooga, Waddell brings more than two decades of educational experience to the position. He holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Rhodes College, along with M.A.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees from Union University. Before joining LPS in 2024, he spent twenty years at Germantown High School, where he served as vice principal, assistant principal, athletic director, and teacher across all academic levels. His background also includes coaching football and baseball…