EDUCATION

LAKELAND SCHOOL SYSTEM

BY DR. TED HORRELL SUPERINTENDENT, LAKELAND SCHOOL SYSTEM

The 2022-23 school year marks one of the most exciting milestones in our community’s educational history: the opening of the high-school facilities of Lakeland Preparatory School. The Lakeland School System will begin serving high-school grades starting with our very first class of ninth graders. That same class will eventually become the first graduates of Lakeland Prep and the Lakeland School System. These new opportunities did not occur by happenstance, but reflect the commitment of the Lakeland leaders, parents, students and community members who have supported and encouraged our system’s educational goals throughout this journey.

When you visit the new high school, I hope you’ll find the same commitment that Lakeland has

shown us reflected in the design and execution of our academic, athletic and fine arts spaces. The 240,000-square-foot addition in the main building includes a 2,000-seat varsity gymnasium, an 800seat auditorium, cutting-edge science labs, career and technical rooms, and myriad other spaces that

will serve our students as they learn, grow and lead. In addition, the campus is now home to a new athletic field house, office and concession buildings, more than 20,000 square feet in all. While these buildings are wonderful, what’s even more exciting and important is the quality of the teachers, staff and coaches who are returning or joining to share their talent and expertise. Principal Corrie Martin has an outstanding team of committed educators to take LPS into the future.

Lakeland Elementary School (K-4) principal Joretha Lockhart and her faculty and staff have laid the foundation for success. Since the inception of the Lakeland School System in 2013, the goal of our Board of Education (and many others) was to expand our initial K-5 system into a comprehensive K-12 system. This was largely based on the success and positive environment established at Lakeland Elementary and the desire to extend that same level of academic excellence, community partnership and student opportunity to all grade levels. This year, we collectively take a massive step in that direction.

We are grateful for the participation and feedback that helped shape the design and function of our new facilities. We also look forward to

continued collaboration, support and understanding as we work through the challenges that growth and the mass creation of new opportunities will bring. I am confident that the same community and parental support that has led to the development of so many exceptional programs at LES and LPS so far will cause our new athletic teams, fine arts programs and academic endeavors to thrive.

We are thankful for the Lakeland

community’s commitment to our school system, our students and our goal of providing the very best educational experience for our most important resource. I know I speak for Lakeland Board of Education members Kevin Floyd (chair), Laura Harrison (vice-chair), Jeremy Burnett, Michelle Childs and Deborah Thomas when I say it is an honor to serve the Lakeland community, and we look forward to sharing the continued successes of our students as we grow.