The Rockland Central School District Board of Education has appointed Keith Lewis as interim superintendent, the board announced during its Nov. 18 meeting. Lewis will assume the role on Monday, Dec. 1, and serve through the end of the 2025-26 school year.
Lewis brings more than three decades of experience in education, including 17 years as an administrator. He retired in 2023 from his position as superintendent of the Lackawanna City School District in Western New York, where he served for five years following a year as assistant superintendent.
During his tenure in Lackawanna, Lewis oversaw significant staffing and program expansions, hiring more than 150 staff members and implementing Academic Intervention Services (AIS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) programs. He also helped establish 1-to-1 technology access for students, reintroduced advanced placement and college-credit classes, introduced STEM classrooms in every school, reduced class sizes, and expanded social-emotional learning and before- and after-school programs. Under his leadership, the district achieved its strongest financial position in over 50 years and earned recognition as a National STEM Pathway District.
“I believe in honesty, integrity, longevity, hard work, and doing the best you can each day with a positive attitude,” Lewis said. “I am excited to meet and work with the faculty and staff to make sure that we continue to deliver an outstanding education to Rockland students.”
Lewis succeeds John Evans, who announced his retirement in October. Evans’s last day with the district will be Nov. 30, 2025. Lewis will also assist the board in its search for a permanent superintendent, though details about the search process and timeline have not yet been released.