Douglas County school board selects their HR director as next superintendent

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - The Douglas County School District has hired a new superintendent to replace the retiring Teri White.

In a unanimous decision, the board voted 7-0 to hire Keith Lewis as the next superintendent. Lewis is the District's current Human Resources executive director. He will start to transition into the position immediately and officially take over when White leaves, sometime this summer.

During their virtual meeting Monday via ZOOM, the board conducted interviews of the three finalists for the position, Carson Valley resident Dan Wold, Douglas High School graduate Victor Sherbondy, and Lewis.

Candidates were asked a variety of questions during the interviews and members of the community were encouraged to provide public comment during the meeting or by emailing the district in advance.

“We had over 80 virtual attendees listening or watching the meeting today. That’s far more attendees than when we had the last time we interviewed for a superintendent. Clearly the online format makes it easier for people to attend,” said board president, Robbe Lehmann.

Lewis wrote in his application packet that he felt he was qualified for the position due to his history as a “strong communicator” and the “connections [he has] developed with students, staff, and parents over the past twenty-five years.” He said in his interview that “it would be an honor of a lifetime to be the superintendent of the only school district I’ve ever known.”

"I'm meeting with Superintendent White today to discuss a transition plan and when her last day will be. She will immediately start working Keith into the role and will get him up to speed on what he needs to know. White has previously indicated that she is willing to stay as long as is needed; I suspect her last day will be sometime in June," Lehmann told South Tahoe Now.

"I think the way the deliberations played out, a fairly quick motion that passed 7-0, is an indication of the trust we all have in Mr. Lewis," added Lehmann. "Teri White has done a great job for our district. We thank her for all her years of tireless service to our schools. She has moved us in the direction we need to go. Mr. Lewis has some big shoes to fill, and we believe that he is up to the task. It's our belief that he will shine as a superintendent just as he has in every other role he's had within the district."

The new superintendent will take the helm at a uniquely difficult time when students haven’t been allowed on campus for over two months due to COVID-19 and while all education is being delivered in a virtual online format. When asked how he would make sure the district is ready should distance learning be needed again Lewis said that training and a learning management system that facilitates communication between teachers and students and parents will be imperative for a situation that he believes will likely happen sometime again. He acknowledged the difficulty he has had in his own family with four students and multiple teachers using multiple different platforms for communication. However, Lewis is confident he will be able to meet any challenges. “I am personally and professionally all in to the Douglas County School District,” he said.

Lewis is currently the Executive Director of Human Resources for Douglas County School District. He also oversees the District's transportation, school nutrition, and facilities departments.

In 2019, Lewis was recognized by the Douglas County School District Board of Trustees as the inaugural recipient of the Award for Excellence in Leadership.

After being hired in 1995 as an elementary physical education teacher at C.C. Meneley and Gardnerville Elementary Schools, Lewis has spent his entire 25-year career serving within the Douglas County School District. He worked for nine years at the newly-opened Piñon Hills Elementary as a physical education teacher, two years at CVMS as assistant principal, and eight years at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School as principal before moving to his current role in the district office.

Lewis has been active as a coach in and outside of the district. He served as the head coach of the varsity girls softball program at George Whittell High School for two seasons and the head coach of the varsity boys basketball program at Douglas High School from 1998 to 2005. While coaching at Douglas High School, Lewis was named the 2002 Nevada 4A – Sierra League – Coach of the Year. He developed Carson Valley Hoops, the first-ever AAU basketball program in the Carson Valley. Lewis’s efforts as a coach were recognized when he was inducted into the Douglas High School Basketball Hall-of-Fame in 2013.

After graduating from Gardiner High School in Gardiner, Montana in 1990, Lewis attended Boise State University where he earned his degree in K-12 physical education and biology in 1995. He earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration in 2004 from National University.

Lewis resides in the Carson Valley with his wife of 22 years, Nicole, and four children, Payten (12th Grade), Neil (10th Grade), and twin-boys Dominic and Elliott (5th Grade).

After selecting Lewis, the board authorized Lehmann to negotiate an employment contract with him that will be presented for approval by the entire board at an upcoming meeting.