photo by: Lawrence school district screenshot

Superintendent Anthony Lewis delivers a video message of support to the trans community on Friday, March 29, 2024.

Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Lewis is leaving to take a job in North Carolina, according to a letter sent to district personnel.

Lewis will leave in August to lead the school district in Durham, North Carolina.

The Durham school board on Saturday morning unanimously agreed to hire Lewis as that district’s next superintendent.

This decision is full of mixed emotions,” Lewis said. “It has been an honor to serve as superintendent in Lawrence. Working alongside so many dedicated and talented educators, supportive families, and amazing scholars has been a joy.

“We have been through a lot together. We have navigated challenges, celebrated achievements, and built a school district that’s poised for even greater success. Fostering a culture of inclusivity and belonging and prioritizing the well-being of our scholars and staff has been a goal while doing this work.

“I often share with our district and building leaders that family comes first. It’s now time that I heed those words. This next move not only provides an opportunity to pursue a new adventure, it allows me to be closer to my family,” he said.

Lewis is completing his sixth year as superintendent in Lawrence.

Lawrence school board president Kelly Jones said she expects Lewis to leave his Lawrence position in mid-August.

“Dr. Lewis’s roots are in Alabama and special education. During my tenure on the board, I observed that combination means every student is family and his professional and ethical standards are only outmatched by his endless generosity in service,” Jones said.

“I am grateful for his educational leadership generally and, in particular, through the pandemic. His commitment to educational equity and excellence is evident at the district and community levels, as well as at the state level, including his service to the Kansas African American Affairs Commission and the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.”

Under Lewis’ leadership, the Lawrence community came together to create a plan for school progress, the district’s first comprehensive strategic plan in nearly two decades, the district touted in its announcement. The school board also adopted its Equity Policy, recognizing the importance of making and supporting significant shifts in mindset and practice to provide and sustain equitable outcomes for all students, the district said in it release.

In the spring of 2022, Lewis was a finalist for the superintendent job in Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama, but he was not selected. At the time he said that Montgomery was the only job he would have considered leaving Lawrence for. He said the Montgomery position represented an opportunity for him to return home and be closer to family. Lewis is originally from nearby Talladega, Alabama, and lived for nearly 20 years in Montgomery while attending college and later working as a teacher and principal in the Montgomery school district. He later was an assistant superintendent in the Kansas City, Missouri, public school district.

When Lewis accepted the job in Lawrence in January 2018, he replaced Anna Stubblefield, who had been acting as interim superintendent since the summer of 2017. Stubblefield had taken over when Superintendent Kyle Hayden stepped down.

According to news outlets in the Durham area, Lewis will be replacing an interim superintendent who had taken the reins after Superintendent Pascal Mubenga resigned in February amid pay disputes among staff.

Lewis was signed to a four-year contract in Durham that begins Aug. 12 and ends June 30, 2028.