Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy principal Dr. Donnie Mitchell is now superintendent of the Kansas City public charter school.

The school’s board of education voted in its November meeting to name Mitchell to the superintendent role that had been filled by Dr. Vivian Roper since the school opened as one of Kansas City’s original public charter schools in 1999.

Roper, who founded the school with her brother, Bishop Mark Tolbert of Victorious Life Church, retired before the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Mitchell, a long-time teacher and administrator in several major area school districts, was hired as principal of Tolbert Academy in 2020.

Mitchell, a Kansas State University graduate with a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University, began his education career as a high school teacher at Washington High School in the Kansas City, Kan., School District.

He was assistant principal for Southeast High School in Kansas City (Mo.) Public Schools, serving as principal of its Saturday Academic Academy. After serving as an assistant principal at North Kansas City High School, he served as principal of KCK’s Northwest Middle School before accepting the Lee A. Tolbert principal job.

The Friends of Yates community organization in Kansas City, Kan., honored Mitchell for distinguished service in 2015 and as a “Black Man of Distinction” in 2016.