Lexington City Schools has welcomed five new educators for the 2024-25 school year.
At Harrington Waddell Elementary School, Martha Dudley is serving as a long-term substitute for a first grade teacher on maternity leave. A Mary Baldwin University graduate with a master’s degree in the art of teaching, Dudley brings 14 years of experience, primarily as a third grade teacher, and has lived in Rockbridge County for 25 years.
Also joining Waddell is Amelia Ditzel, who will teach fourth grade. Ditzel earned her undergraduate degree in public policy from Duke University and a master’s in early childhood education from Georgia State University. She previously taught in Fulton County Schools in Atlanta as both an elementary and English as a Second Language teacher, and more recently worked part time as an ESL teacher in both Lexington and Buena Vista schools.
First grade students at Waddell are being welcomed by Kristy Money, who studied at Bard University and the University of Delaware. Money has more than 13 years of public school teaching experience in New Orleans, La., and grew up in Delaware and Rhode Island.
At Lylburn Downing Middle School, Janet Lee joins the staff as a middle school math coach. A North Carolina native, Lee holds certifications in special education, gifted education, and Pre-K–6 education, and has served as an elementary and middle school math teacher, special education teacher, and gifted coordinator.
Also new to LDMS is Justin Madsen, who will teach middle school Spanish. Madsen earned a degree in business management from Southern Virginia University and has worked as a camp counselor, missionary, landscaper, photographer, volleyball coach, and CPA assistant. He is originally from Las Vegas, Nev.
