With just over a hundred days on the job, it might have seemed a bit early for Culver City Unified School Superintendent to be offering a formal look at the district’s progress, but he was the first to note that while his length of time at the desk was still a bit light, getting the district information out to the public was the primary point.
The evening of May 9, 2024 began with a reception just outside the Robert Frost Auditorium, where the AVPA Jazz Combo played while iced tea and sandwiches were served; the reception was sponsored by the Culver City Education Foundation. Elected officials, district employees, community members and plenty of parents attended to hear Lucas speak.
Lucas was introduced by School Board President Dr. Kelly Kent, who touched on the recent ranking from U.S.News and World Report that put Culver City Schools in the top tier of public education in California.
Lucas began with his own personal history, offering his family and educational background with some gentle jokes (“Yes, I was raised in Florida, which some people think is it’s own country…”) and a career arc that took him from n unexpected teaching job to a passion for educational administration.
The Superintendent had a lot to offer on how well our schools are doing; 25 Advanced Placement classes on offer, a long list of awards won by both students and teachers, and a beautifully produced video on the new Game Design classes leading the list on Career Technical Education accomplishments.
With this year’s graduation coming up, Superintendent Lucas will have another speech to prepare, and seems poised to move into a comfortable tenure.
Judith Martin-Straw
