Dr. Anthony Lewis has been selected as the next superintendent of Lawrence schools effective July 1 according to a press release sent out Monday morning. Lewis previously served as an assistant superintendent in the Kansas City, Missouri school district.

“I am extremely humbled and grateful to be given the opportunity to serve the Lawrence community,” Lewis said. “My education, work and other community experiences have all prepared me to lead a district like Lawrence Public Schools as superintendent.”

In order to identify a new superintendent, the district reached out to 934 individuals across 48 states and reviewed 60 applications, narrowing the candidates down to Lewis and Kansas City deputy superintendent Dr. Jayson Strickland.

Of the two finalists interviewed by the district last week, Lewis was selected. During a community meet-and-greet, community members recognized Lewis’s charisma, confidence, passion for students and good sense of humor.

Interim superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield, who will become the deputy superintendent next year, is looking forward to working with Lewis.

The district’s search for a new superintendent began last May, when previous superintendent Kyle Hayden transferred to a chief operations officer role. With the announcement Monday morning, the Board of Education will keep their promise of naming a new superintendent by February of this year.

The Board of Education and district administrators met Monday night to confirm Lewis’s $215,000 salary.