Jennifer Cleaves Named New Principal of Lakeridge Elementary

Jennifer Cleaves standing front of the Lakeridge Pride wall at the school where she was introduced to staff this morning.

Mercer Island, WA, June 5, 2025 - The Mercer Island School District is pleased to announce Jennifer Cleaves has been selected as the next principal of Lakeridge Elementary School. Cleaves will succeed Heidi Christensen who has been Lakeridge’s principal for the last eight years.

Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle was at Lakeridge this morning to make the announcement to staff of Cleaves appointment.

“At my core, I believe relationships are the heart of education. I look forward to partnering with the Lakeridge community to support student success and foster a strong, connected school community,” said Cleaves.

Cleaves, who has 28 years of experience in education, has been the principal of Finn Hill Middle School and the Environmental and Adventure School in the Lake Washington School District for the last four years. She was an elementary teacher in the Bellevue School District from 1996 to 2002. In 2002, Cleaves moved to Colorado and was an elementary teacher at Eldorado Elementary in Highlands Ranch, Colorado until 2006. She was an Intervention Resource Teacher at Flagstone Elementary in Castle Rock, Colorado from 2006 to 2013. From 2013 to 2017 Cleaves was an Assistant Principal and Administrative Intern at Flagstone. Her first Principal position was from 2017 to 2021 at Vera Scott Elementary in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“I am excited for the Lakeridge students, staff, and families to bring on Jennifer who not only brings a successful background as a principal but more importantly is an accomplished educator,” said Rundle. “She is a teacher at heart, student centered and committed to building strong partnerships with families. “

Cleaves graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Elementary Music Ed, and Spanish in 1996. She then attended the University of Colorado at Denver where she received a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, K-6 Literacy in 2005. In 2015 Cleaves received an Education Specialist-Educational Leadership & Policy Studies degree from the University of Northern Colorado.