The ESC recently welcomed Ann Lockett as its Director of Early Childhood. The objective of this position is to plan, implement, and monitor a regional strategy to promote equitable access to high-quality early childhood education for all students. Ann will be tasked with cultivating, establishing, and maintaining relationships with various organizations including school districts and schools, civic and private entities, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and others throughout the state with the goal of utilizing those relationships to strategically enhance student access to high-quality early childhood education, among other duties.

Ann comes to the ESC from the Columbus City School District where she served in several roles including the director of early childhood education and latchkey, supervisor of speech and language services, and nonpublic support services program specialist. Prior to her tenure in Columbus, she served in various roles within the Westerville City School District including as director of early childhood education where she led the design and opening of the district’s Early Learning Center. Ann also served children and families as a speech language pathologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and provided therapeutic services for many years at the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities Early Childhood Education Program.

Ann’s formal education includes receiving a master’s degree in speech language pathology from the Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree from the University of Dayton's educational leadership program. Ann said she is looking forward to working with the ESC team while bringing a strong commitment of service to students, families, staff, and the community.

Ann began work in her new position on November 1, 2021. She may be contacted for assistance at [email protected].