School principal found dead in Henderson home

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003 | 9:37 a.m.

Lisa Babcock, a veteran Clark County educator and principal of Gehring Elementary School, was found dead in her Henderson apartment early Tuesday, apparently of natural causes, police said.

Babcock, 52, was discovered shortly after 1 a.m. by the manager of the Player's Club apartment complex in the 1800 block of Green Valley Parkway after a neighbor reported hearing water running for hours, Officer Shane Lewis, Henderson Police spokesman, said.

The cause of death is pending but does not appear to be related to foul play, Lewis said.

Hired by the Clark County School District in 1972, Babcock had taught elementary school classes before becoming an administrator in 1993.

Ron Schroder, assistant principal at Gehring, said he and other school staff became concerned when Babcock did not show up for work Tuesday. When calls to her cell phone and home went unanswered, a school employee went to Babcock's apartment and found police tape barring the door.

"There is shock, there is surprise and there is some anger," Schroder said. "She was a sensational principal, a pleasure to work with. She cared very much about the kids."

The school district's crisis team, which includes grief counselors, was on campus and talking with both students and staff, Schroder said.

"We've had a couple of children take the news harder than others and the counselors are meeting with them individually," Schroder said.

Administrators sent a letter home with students Tuesday, telling them of Babcock's death.

"This is a terrible loss," said Carolyn Reedom, assistant superintendent of the Clark County School District's southeast region, who knew Babcock for more than 15 years. "Lisa was a wonderful individual and it's very hard to believe she's gone."

Reedom was principal of Estes McDoniel Elementary School when Babcock arrived in 1987 to teach fifth grade.

"From the start I thought she had tremendous leadership potential," said Reedom, who encouraged Babcock's transition from classroom teacher to administrator. "She had one of those personalities that worked extremely well with the kids, their parents and her own peers."

After leaving McDoniel in 1993 for an assistant principal post, Babcock later became principal of Taylor Elementary School in Henderson. She was selected to open Gehring in 2002, a plumb assignment.

Babcock's mother and extended family were making their way from their homes in San Diego to Clark County late Tuesday, school district officials said.