School District of Lancaster superintendent Dr. Damaris Rau on Tuesday announced her retirement, effective July 5, 2022. Hear her reflections on retirement:
In a statement she read aloud during the school board meeting, she said:
It is with sincere gratitude to the School District of Lancaster Board of School Directors that I announce my intent to retire from service as the School District of Lancaster Superintendent of Schools effective July 5, 2022.
Since my appointment as Superintendent in 2015, it has been my privilege to lead a highly effective Cabinet, administrative team and dedicated faculty and staff. Together we have focused on creating equitable opportunities for all students and have engaged in courageous conversations about equity. While I am proud of many of our accomplishments, I am most proud of the following:
- Implementation of a restorative practice and child-centered approach that have contributed to a 50% reduction in suspensions since 2015.
- Development of an instructional technology initiative that enabled students to access instruction in new and innovative ways during school closures and hybrid learning.
- Implementation of new programs that meet the diverse needs of students and parents including the ARC reading program, Full Circle Learning, a Cyber program for elementary students, and 100% implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that support the social-emotional development of students.
- Renovations to Lincoln and Reynolds Middle Schools, including a new play deck at Reynolds so students have a place to play, and a brand new Smith-Wade Elementary School.
- The advancement of teacher leaders through the Principal Residency Program.
- The opportunity to testify to the needs of our community and our students in the fair funding trial in Commonwealth Court.
- The provision of necessary materials and equipment for staff and students to be safe and to maintain in-person instruction during the dreadful pandemic. In spite of being the most difficult years in our lifetimes as educators, the SDoL staff has risen to the occasion and demonstrated its commitment to the Lancaster community.
I am sharing my intent to retire from SDoL at this time to provide the School Board with sufficient notice to seek and secure a new leader who can carry on the important work of the school district. In the meantime, I will continue to provide leadership and complete a number of district projects, including the equity policy and scorecard. I want to recognize the work of the Equity Steering Committee members for their perseverance over the past several years in our important work. Equitable opportunities for the SDoL students will continue to be my North Star as I finish my tenure at the SDoL.
While I am not sure where my journey will take me, I am looking forward to new beginnings, starting with spending much more time with my family and friends.
The district will begin the process of searching for a new superintendent immediately.