Heidi Leeds knows Cheshire Elementary's hallways, its teachers and its families. Now, four days before the Aug. 20 first day of school, she'll lead the building as principal for the first time.

Leeds takes over at the Gregory Road school in Delaware after 12 years as an assistant principal, including eight years inside the Olentangy Local School District. She previously split time between Cheshire and Alum Creek Elementary before spending four years with Reynoldsburg City Schools earlier in her career, the Delaware Gazette reported.

"I know the teachers, I know the community," Leeds told the Gazette. "We are on this really cool little campus where there's Berlin Middle School and Berlin High School. We're the Cheshire Cubs, and then we have the Berlin Bears. It's just a really spirited, fun community."

The 508-student pre-K through fifth-grade school sits on a shared campus with Berlin Middle School and Olentangy Berlin High School. It's part of a district that enrolls roughly 24,133 students across 29 schools, Ohio's fourth-largest.

Staff continuity a priority

Leeds said she asked every staff member to schedule a brief one-on-one meeting with her over the summer to keep the school's culture intact during the leadership change. Staff retention is unusually high. She noted that many Cheshire teachers helped open the building and that educators transfer in from other Olentangy schools specifically to work there.

Her three core values for the school: everyone can learn, everyone belongs and everyone helps one another. Leeds described scanning the playground for kids sitting alone as one example of putting those values into practice.

Stepping into the top role

The transition from assistant to principal means every responsibility lands on her desk. Leeds said the job covers everything from making sure buses run on time to facilitating student growth, and that she's leaned on a text chain with other new Olentangy principals and mentors within the district to prepare.

She said familiarity with the district's systems and people makes the leap more comfortable than starting fresh somewhere else.

What Cheshire families need to know

Elementary open houses across the Olentangy district are scheduled for Aug. 18. The first day of school for all students in grades K-12 is Aug. 20.