At the Oct. 7, 2021 Board of Education Work Session, the Lakeland Central School District Board of Education, in a 7-1 vote, appointed Dr. Karen Gagliardi as Interim Superintendent of Schools through the end of the 2021-2022 school year.
Dr. Gagliardi has worked in the District since 2003, serving as the principal of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School for 15 years before being named Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in 2019. The appointment follows the sudden resignation of Dr. Brendan Lyons, who was hired as Lakeland Superintendent in summer 2020.
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Effective with the new year, replacing her as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction will be Dr. Tracy Norman, who is Principal of George Washington Elementary School. That position will be filled by Marc Casey, now at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School as Assistant Principal.
Board President Adam Kaufman said the board has “every confidence that Dr. Gagliardi will thrive in this leadership role and continue the standards of excellence that Lakeland Central School District is known for.” Kaufman congratulated Dr. Gagliardi for being Lakeland’s first female superintendent, which was followed by a standing ovation from the audience.
After the appointment, Dr. Gagliardi expressed her gratitude to the Board, sharing that, “Lakeland is my home. It’s where I raised my children, by choice. I am dedicated to cultivating unity in our community and I mean our community. I will do my very best to proudly serve our district and continue to work in partnership, true partnership, for all of the children of Lakeland.”
