January 22, 2018 

Board Announces Finalists for Superintendent of Schools

The Lawrence Board of Education announces it will interview two finalists for superintendent of schools this week: Dr. Anthony Lewis, an assistant superintendent in the Kansas City, Missouri school district, and Dr. Jayson Strickland, a deputy superintendent in the Kansas City, Kansas school district.

The board encourages the public to meet the finalists this week at two Meet-and-Greet Receptions. During these events, attendees may complete candidate impression forms to share input with the board to inform its decision.

• Meet-and-Greet Reception with Dr. Anthony Lewis, 5-6 p.m., Tuesday, January 23, Lawrence High School cafeteria, 1901 Louisiana Street. 
  
  
  

• Meet-and-Greet Reception with Dr. Jayson Strickland, 5-6 p.m., Wednesday, January 24,  Lawrence High School library, 1901 Louisiana Street.   

The board will interview the finalists in executive sessions at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and plans to announce its selection of the next district leader during a special board meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 29. The successful candidate will succeed Interim Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield, appointed by the board following former Superintendent Kyle Hayden’s transfer into the role of chief operations officer on July 1, 2017. 

Executive search firm Ray & Associates provided the following brief professional biographies of the finalists: 

Dr. Anthony Lewis

Dr. Anthony Lewis is originally from Talladega, Alabama. He is married to Tiffany, and they are the proud parents of six children: Jasmine, Akirah, Anthony II, Sierra, Kailey, and Braxton. He received B. S. and M.Ed. degrees in Special Education and a degree in Educational Leadership from Alabama State University (Montgomery, Ala.). He also was selected and completed the Instructional Leadership Academy with Samford University (Birmingham, Ala.). Dr. Lewis received his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri in Columbia.  

Dr. Lewis began his work career as a Special Education Teacher, Science Teacher, and Assistant Principal at Jefferson Davis High School (Montgomery, Ala.), where he taught for six years. After which, he was appointed to Assistant Principal, and then Principal of E. D. Nixon Elementary School, a position he held for five years. While at E. D. Nixon, discipline decreased by more than 50%; daily student attendance increased; and most importantly the school became an Alabama Torchbearer School during the 2007-2008 school year - one of only nine in the state and again during the 2010-2011 school year – one of only eleven in the state. The school was also ranked number 18 out of 706 schools in the state of Alabama also making the school a 90/90/90 School.   

In May 2011, Dr. Lewis was nominated to be the only principal in the State of Alabama published in the Inaugural Edition of “Who’s Who in Black Alabama.” Because of his successes in Alabama, he was recruited to work in the Kansas City, Missouri School District. Currently, he is the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS). In this position, Dr. Lewis provides leadership and support to principals, schools, and programs; oversee school planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of schools and ensure that program activities comply with District policies and Missouri Statutes are aligned to the District’s Strategic Plan.  

Dr. Jayson Strickland

Dr. Jayson Strickland has been an educator for 24 years. He has served young people in the state of Kansas in a variety of roles. He has been a classroom teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, an executive director, and an assistant superintendent. Some of his experiences and leadership responsibilities have involved: supervising principals, Human Resources, English as a Second Language, Special Education, Curriculum, and Early Childhood programs. Currently, Dr. Strickland is the Deputy Superintendent in the Kansas City, Kansas School District. 

Dr. Strickland has a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State University in elementary education. He earned his Master of Arts, Educational Specialist, and Doctor of Education degrees in education administration from the University of Missouri- Kansas City. His dissertation was a study of the relationship between leadership, emotional intelligence, and effective teams. Other formal training for Dr. Strickland includes: Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA), cultural proficiency, college/career academies, curriculum alignment, entrepreneurship, program evaluation, bond referendums, and school finance. He holds classroom teaching, building leadership, and superintendent certifications in Kansas and Missouri.  

Dr. Strickland’s formal education and work experience have afforded him opportunities to lead efforts that resulted in improved student achievement. Some examples of these accomplishments are increased graduation rates, higher post-secondary education attendance rates, improved reading levels, and higher grade point averages and ACT scores.  

Dr. Strickland has a passion for the growth and success of young people. It is his mission to continue to support student achievement by leading work that collaboratively engages all stakeholders to create the best educational environment for students and staff. He is dedicated to ensuring equity for all students and cultivating the development of the whole child so they are best prepared for an evolving future.