On Feb. 21 Jeanice Kerr Swift was named the permanent superintendent—pending official board approval—of USD 497 after over six months of serving as the interim superintendent, following Anthony Lewis’s resignation.

Swift has great support from various members of the Lawrence Board of Education. One being board member Bob Byers who said the decision was unanimous and “Dr. Swift hit the ground running and demonstrated her commitment to move the district forward.”

Swift has had extensive experience as an educator, serving in various roles in Colorado Springs, Michigan and Texas, as well as being the superintendent in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Within the Ann Arbor school district Swift faced controversy due to an incident where a bus aide assaulted a special education student. However, during Swift’s time in Michigan she focused on opening various programs which improved “critical measures of district strength, such as positive enrollment trajectory and fund equity stability” according to her biography from her time there.