SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH - 2026
UPDATES - April 10, 2026
The Superintendent Search Committee is pleased to announce that they are bringing forward two finalists who will be coming to LCS next week. The candidates will each spend the day at LCS where students, faculty, staff, families and community members will have an opportunity to meet with them and provide feedback. The feedback will be forwarded to the Search Committee who will then provide their recommendations to the Board for final decision.
FINALISTS
Daniella Sutherland
Site Visit: Mon, April 13
Daniella Sutherland, PhD, is an experienced K-20 educator with over 20 years in teaching and leadership.
Daniella has a Bachelors of Arts in Studio Art from Wellesley College., a Masters in Education in Elementary Education and Child Studies from Smith College, and a Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Educational Policy Studies.
She is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at University of Vermont. In this role, Daniella teaches classes on school and community partnerships, educational leadership and policy in Vermont, curriculum leadership, and equitable data use in schools. As a researcher, Daniella studies the work of rural superintendents and school boards in navigating both community expectations and state policies. She has received two awards from the National Rural Education Association for this work, and she received the 2016 Outstanding Dissertation Award in Education Policy and Politics for her study of local control of education in rural Vermont. Daniella is the Board Chair and co-founder of the Vermont Rural Education Association.
Daniella completed her leadership internship in Windham Central Supervisory Union. Prior to her work in higher education, Daniella worked in multiple roles in K12 education, including as an elementary classroom teacher, Title 1 interventionist, technology coordinator, and as a mentor teacher. She served on the MAUSD school board in 2025 and was a trustee of the Lawrence Memorial Library.
VT Professional Licenses
Superintendent (application in progress)
Principal
Elementary Education
Violet Nichols
Site Visit: Tues, April 14
Violet Nichols has a long career serving as an educator and educational leader with over 15 years of experience, primarily in Vermont.
Violet has earned a Bachelor’s of Arts: Sociology, Law and Justice from Eckerd College; a Master’s of Education: Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education from Antioch University; a Master’s of Educational Leadership from the Upper Valley Graduate School of Education, and a Graduate Certificate in Leading Change and a Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics from Harvard Business School
Violet began her journey as an elementary classroom teacher in Maine and later served as a math instructional coach at the Mount Abraham School District (MAUSD). Her leadership roles include Director of Learning and Technology at the Addison Northwest School District, Director of Learning at the South Burlington School District (SBSD), and the Superintendent of SBSD. Throughout her career, Violet has focused on various educational initiatives, including place-based education, project-based learning, outdoor education, technology integration, STEM education, Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), and Multi-tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS). Violet has experience with operational, legal, fiscal, and academic leadership at the district level and has led initiatives related to sustainability as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
VT Professional Licenses
Superintendent
Principal
Director of Curriculum
English Language Learner
Elementary Education
Candidate Site Visit Schedule
8:30-9:15 Parent/ Community Meet & Greet
9:15-9:30 School tour with the Principal
9:30-10:15 Principal
10:15-11:00 Community/staff
11:00-11:15 Break in district office
11:15-11:45 Superintendent
11:45-12:30 Faculty/Staff
12:30-1:30 Search Committee