Dr. Keith Lankford Named Superintendent of Pike Road Schools

Dr. Keith Lankford has been named superintendent of Pike Road Schools. At a called board meeting on March 15, the Pike Road Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Dr. Lankford.

The Board chose Dr. Lankford after an extensive search for candidates that began in January of this year when Dr. Chuck Ledbetter announced his intent to leave the school system. Over several weeks, the Board collected resumes from qualified candidates and solicited input from stakeholders.

Board President, Cacyce Davis, expressed gratitude for the feedback provided by the community. She said the Board carefully considered the survey results as they engaged in the process of selecting the superintendent. Most stakeholders wanted someone with experience as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Areas of expertise include Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Organizational Leadership, and Leading Innovation in Education. Survey participants expressed their preference that the next superintendent is honest and ethical, transparent, a strong communicator, a strong listener, approachable, and a problem solver.

Dr. Lankford said he has already begun reading the input from the community. He said, “after receiving the community feedback from the Board, I can’t wait to get started working on the work. Pike Road is a place where the community is engaged in their schools. The school system is a major reason people move to Pike Road. I am excited to partner with parents, students, educators, and community members to continue to grow Pike Road Schools into one of the top systems in the state.”

Dr. Lankford comes to Pike Road with a wealth of experience in public education in Alabama. He is a graduate of Enterprise High School and spent several years in the Army and the National Guard. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Troy, his Education Specialist degree from Jacksonville State, and his Doctorate from the University of Alabama. He has worked at almost every level in education, from paraprofessional to 6 years as superintendent.

He has been married to his wife, Cathy, for 32 years. They have two adult children. Colten recently earned his Ph.D. and works in molecular medicine, while Kara is a recent graduate of the UAB School of dentistry. “My wife and I are excited to become the newest members of the Pike Road Community.”

In a statement to the Board, Dr. Lankford expressed his gratitude to the Board and everyone in attendance. “It is truly an honor, and I’m ready to serve. I will begin the work today because I think it is that important.”

Ms. Davis stated that she expects to work quickly on the details of Lankford’s employment contract and have it available for the Board’s consideration soon. Dr. Lankford is working with his current school system to determine when he will transition to his new role at Pike Road Schools. Pike Road’s current superintendent, Dr. Ledbetter, plans to lead Pike Road until the end of May.