After a year of searching, Ohio's eighth-largest school district has announced its new superintendent.
Lakota Local Schools says Ashley Whitely was appointed by its board during a special meeting on Saturday following a round of interviews with top candidates last week.
Whitely, who most recently served as assistant superintendent at Wyoming City Schools, was also previously an English teacher at Lakota East High School for five years.
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Lakota has been looking for a permanent superintendent since the beginning of 2023, after former superintendent Matt Miller resigned. Miller claims then-Board member Darbi Boddy created a hostile work environment and harassed him, causing him to leave the district.
Boddy has since been removed from the Board following a long absence due to a civil protection order that fellow Board member Isaac Adi filed against her after he also claimed Boddy harassed him.
Last summer, Whitely was named one of three finalists for Lakota's superintendent position, but after several rounds of interviews, neither she nor the other two candidates were selected. Elizabeth Lolli, former superintendent of Dayton Public Schools was named as interim leader and agreed to serve for a year while the district continued its search. That search eventually led back to Whitely.
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After a long journey to Lakota's top job, Whitely says she's ready to lead the growing district.
"I am honored to be the next superintendent of Lakota Local Schools," she said. "I look forward to working with the various stakeholders to enhance instruction and nurture a positive culture so that all Lakota students can thrive and grow."
Members of the school community will be able to meet Whitely before Lakota's next school board meeting Monday night.
Whitely's five-year contract will officially start Aug. 1.
