Board Appoints Dr. Elizabeth Lolli as Interim Superintendent

At the July 5 evening special meeting, the Lakota Board of Education voted to appoint Dr. Elizabeth Lolli as the interim superintendent to lead Lakota Local Schools for the next year. Dr. Lolli will join the Lakota team effective July 19, pending the completion of negotiations and background checks.

“The Board is taking the process of selecting Lakota’s next superintendent very seriously,” wrote Board President Lynda O’Connor in a letter to Lakota families, staff and community members. “That is why we announced earlier this week our decision to slow down the process and begin interviewing different candidates to lead the district as our interim superintendent, all while we continue our search for the best long-term fit for this role.”

Dr. Lolli has spent her 45-year career serving K-12 public education. Leaving her most recent post as superintendent of Dayton Public Schools for the last six years, Dr. Lolli has over 15 years of superintendent experience spanning urban and suburban districts of varying sizes. 

Her long career has also included positions as a classroom teacher, music teacher, assistant principal, principal, coordinator of elementary education and assistant superintendent over curriculum and instruction. Most recently, Dr. Lolli was named the “2023 Superintendent of the Year” by the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. 

“Dr. Lolli has proven herself to be an effective instructional leader and communicator in the diverse communities she has served,” O’Connor added. “She also takes pride in being a visible leader and a proponent of student voice. We are very pleased to have her at the helm for the next year.”

“I am very excited to begin this new venture with Lakota Schools,” Dr. Lolli said. “I’ve always admired Lakota for the exceptional work their staff does for their students. I feel fortunate to be leading a district with such an influential presence and to be part of the work that will continue defining Lakota as a well-respected and future-ready school district.” 

The Board kicked off the search for Lakota’s next superintendent with a community-wide survey in April, followed by several focus group sessions offered up to administrators, staff, parents and community members. A later ThoughtExchange was designed to collect questions for the top three finalists to answer at a community meet-and-greet event on June 27, where more feedback was gathered from attendees. 

That collective input was considered in the Board’s decision to change course and pursue an interim superintendent instead, as announced on July 3. O’Connor reiterated in her letter that the community input also played a big role in the Board’s decision to select Dr. Lolli for the interim role. 

“Our expectations go beyond the day-to-day leadership required of this position to support the many facets that make Lakota a great place to teach and learn,” O’Connor wrote. “We are also optimistic that Dr. Lolli will play an integral role in setting the vision and keeping us on pace with long-term priorities like raising the bar on student achievement and Lakota’s master facilities plan. We fully intend to continue this important work under the leadership of Dr. Lolli.”

Lakota will provide opportunities for the community to meet Dr. Lolli and learn more about her background in the coming weeks. Looking further ahead, the Board plans to officially restart the search process for an individual to fulfill the superintendent duties beyond this school year. 

“Your involvement will continue to be a critical piece in this ongoing process that we are conducting on behalf of all our students, families, staff and community,” O’Connor said.