The Lakota Local School District will soon be looking for a new superintendent. Current Superintendent Matt Miller has announced his resignation, effective later this month, citing a "new and very unique opportunity," in an email to parents.
The Journal News reports that opportunity is "Coordinator of Innovative Education" with the Butler County Educational Service Center.
Lakota Spokesperson Betsy Fuller said in an email, "Since 2017, Superintendent Miller has been the driving force behind such innovative programming as the Lakota Cyber Academy, INCubatoredu, one-to-one technology for students in grades 3-12, as well as the creation of the Lakota Office of Diversity and Inclusion (LODI)."
Lynda O’Connor, president of the Lakota Board of Education, added, "The Board thanks Mr. Miller for his six years of service and the innovation he's brought to the district during his tenure. The Board of Education will meet in the near future to determine the next steps."
Last fall, Miller was the subject of an investigation prompted by unspecified accusations. Investigations by both the Butler County Sherriff's Office and a private investigation firm found no evidence of any wrongdoing, and in November, Miller was determined fit to continue serving as superintendent.
Miller went on to say in the email to parents:
"I am incredibly proud of the work that our teachers, staff and administrators have accomplished since I arrived nearly six years ago. Every decision that WE have made has been with the best of intentions for our students. WE take our mission statement to heart: Everything WE do is designed to provide a future-ready, student-centered learning experience for every single child.
"In every building, our teachers and staff put our students first, from preschool to twelfth grade. Every. Single. Student. WE understand that diversity means accepting that every person is different and celebrating our differences. WE understand that equity means ensuring that our students are on a level playing field; that each of our students have the tools they need to succeed. WE understand that inclusion means making sure that each and every one of our 17,500 students feels welcome in our classrooms. Is there work to be done? Absolutely. Will our Lakota family continue to strive for this goal? Absolutely.
"Over the next few weeks, our board members will determine my replacement and will share that information with you. In the meantime, I will be here, along with our executive team, to support our administrators, teachers and staff through this transition.
"It has been an honor to lead Lakota since 2017. While I may be leaving our district, I will never stop supporting our kids and our team."
In 2019, Miller won the Communication Technology Award For Superintendents, beating out other school district leaders across America. He was the first in Ohio to win a national award for creatively using communication technology.
