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In Shrub Oak, the Lakeland Central School District Board of Education unanimously approved to permanently install Dr. Karen Gagliardi as the schools superintendent, effective immediately.
Gagliardi, a former Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in Lakeland had been serving as interim superintendent since October 2021.
“My experience serving the district over the last six months has greatly reaffirmed my commitment to serving in this role,” the new permanent superintendent said. “I am proud of the strides our community has made in just six months’ time.
"The future is bright for Lakeland, and I am humbled and honored to lead and serve our district,” Gagliardi continued. “With the restrictions and mandates of the pandemic hopefully behind us, we will sharpen our focus on instruction and work to enhance our educational spaces to best engage students.
Arriving in Lakeland in 2003, Gagliardi served as assistant principal at Lincoln-Titus, and co-principal of George Washington Elementary School before moving to Thomas Jefferson Elementary School to assume the role of principal.
“There will always be challenges to overcome, but I am confident that we will continue to grow together to support the needs of all students through collaboration and learning from one another,” Gagliardi said.
A published author, Gagliardi also represented the Association of Lakeland Administrators as its president.
“In addition to her leadership skills, Dr. Gagliardi has a keen understanding of the needs of our district and has assembled a strong leadership team that is equally dedicated to the students of Lakeland,” Board of Education President Adam Kaufman said.
“She has long-standing relationships throughout our community which are a key component of an effective and collaborative leader and a quality that would have been impossible to find outside of the district.”
The Board said that Gagliardi began her teaching career as a middle school teacher at Villa Maria Academy in the Bronx, before moving to Haldane Central School District, where she taught fourth grade.
“The District has been my professional home for many many years,” Gagliardi added. "Everyone who has influenced and supported my journey is here with me, I share this appointment with all of you.”
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