Dr. Anthony Lewis is coming to Durham Public Schools as the new superintendent.
Dr. Lewis will have a lot on his plate when he arrives. A district-wide pay dispute that started in fall of 2023 and stretched into 2024 is what led to the resignation of the former superintendent Pascal Mubenga and left some employees feeling burnt out.
“I was leaving anyway, because of my health,” Monica Watson said. “But the pay was really making you really want to leave.”
Watson, who said she was a head cook for DPS for 18 years, said she hopes the new superintendent makes a difference for staff salaries across the board.
“I hope this new superintendent comes in with a good attitude and pay these teachers right,” Watson said. “But mainly focus on these children.”
Dr. Lewis comes from Lawrence, Kansas, where he served as superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools since 2018. He was an educator for more than two decades prior to this position.
“Dr. Lewis’s proven track record and experience met the high standards we and the community hold for this district’s performance,” DPS BOE Chairwoman Bettina Umstead said.