Goodwine congratulated Lawrence on being picked and said the school board would be seeking an interim business manager now that Lawrence has moved on to fill the superintendent role.
Lolli resigned less than three months after agreeing to a one-year contract extension with Dayton Public Schools, and about a month before DPS resumes classes Aug. 14. Her last day is July 18 - the same day as the next school board meeting.
Will Smith, the board vice president, said the board is working on plans for selecting the next superintendent. The board has gone through two rounds of advertising for a search firm for the next superintendent, but has not yet picked a search firm, he said.
He said the search for the next superintendent needs to be “community led and community driven.”
Smith said he appreciates that Lawrence is already working in the district.
“We start school next month,” Smith said. “And this district needs leadership right now. We need to have our staff and our students and our families understand that our business continues as usual.”
Smith said the school board does not owe Lolli anything after she left her contract.
Pickett, the sole no vote, said before the vote that she wanted people to understand there are people who applied for the position internally and externally, “and we are not going to look at any of those applications.”
Dion Sampson, a board member who voted for Lawrence to be interim superintendent, said there is an urgency to the matter, and someone needed to be there to lead.
Lawrence thanked the board for choosing him and said he plans to work with the community, churches, parents, teachers and kids.
“It’s just an opportunity to lead,” Lawrence said.
He said his time as business manager had taught him a lot about how the district runs. Lawrence was also previously a teacher, administrator for Northmont schools and Dayton Public Schools, and worked in charter schools.
“When you’re the superintendent, you’re superintendent for everybody,” Lawrence said.
Dayton Education Association president Neil Mahoney said he appreciated the boards decision.
“This should have been done two and a half months ago, but in the best interest of our students and our staff, we have someone in place that can hit the ground running,” Mahoney said.
He said Lawrence will be a good person to work with teachers and give teachers the tools the teachers need.
Last September, the Dayton school board approved Lawrence as the district’s new business manager in a 5-2 vote.
Lawrence is a former Dayton Public Schools administrator who left the district on a controversial buyout in 2017 and went on to work as a principal in the Northmont school district.
Lawrence was a candidate for superintendent in 2016, but the school board hired former superintendent Rhonda Corr instead. Lawrence was later paid $200,000 to leave his position in the district after his role was severely diminished.
Corr was placed on administrative leave, and departed DPS under a separation agreement in January 2018. Lolli, who had been assistant superintendent under Corr, was eventually promoted to replace her.
Dayton Unit NAACP president Derrick Foward said he hoped the next superintendent would have a “passion for education.”
“We need someone that’s strong, and someone who understands student achievement, someone who understands our students, who can get along with the parents and understands the dynamics of a urban style school system,” Foward said.
Joni Watson, a former Dayton Public Schools art teacher and former DEA vice president, said teachers in the district are struggling and need a good leader. She advocated for Lawrence to take over the spot in public comments before the board chose him.
She said when a DPS art teacher begged her for help last school year, Watson had to tell the art teacher that the teacher’s principal and Lolli needed to approve Watson coming in to help, and the teacher’s principal wasn’t answering emails about Watson coming in.
“I was surprised that given the new school year started, she’s leaving to go to another district when school is starting very soon,” Watson said.
About the Author