Superintendent
A Message From Dr. Ross
Dear LexRich 5 Family,
The theme for the 2025-2026 school year is “Operation Transformation.” After a successful 2024 Bond Referendum, which received the highest passage percentage from voters in the district’s history, Lexington Richland School District Five will undergo a transformation of $240 million in critical infrastructure renovations. We are also preparing for the new rezoning and educational structures to be implemented on July 1, 2026. All preparations for this transformation must be completed during this school year. As a result, this year will be filled with groundbreakings, new programs, new construction, new improvements, new processes, and renovations. While these changes are exciting, “Operation Transformation” is bigger than brick and mortar.
“Operation Transformation” is a call to change the mindset from “I can’t” to the resolve of “I can” when facing challenges and obstacles. This year, we renew our vision of loving and growing our students by believing in their capacity for greatness. Just as our buildings are undergoing renovations for the better, our faculty and staff must be committed to restoring our faith in our students’ ability to excel in academics, arts, athletics, and life. For a growing number of students, an experience of failure in the classroom can lead to chronic doubt about their ability. There is good news. When an educator believes in a child, they have the power to transform “I can’t” dispositions into “I can” attitudes. Great educators have the ability to see the potential in all students. It reminds me of a cartoon of form-changing robots that premiered on television in 1986, called Transformers. The Transformers are famous for saying that they were “more than meets the eye.” This quote is our reminder that our students are more than their present selves. If we can see their greatness, then they will begin to believe in themselves. Simply stated, when we believe, they achieve.
Transformation is not easy. It requires change, and change can be uncomfortable. Growth does not occur in comfort; therefore, we have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In education, there is a concept called “productive struggle,” which represents when students push beyond their comfort zones to foster deeper understanding and skill development. The goal of “Operation Transformation" is to help all students believe in themselves and push beyond their academic comfort zones. We aim to transform sentiments like “I can’t do math, reading, or writing” into a confident “I can.” To achieve this, we have organized all learning goals for every class into success criteria or “I Can” statements as a reference for all students and parents. As LexRich5 educators, we should never forget the message from our 2025 District Kickoff speaker, Cash “Bubba” Harris: “If you are having a rough day, keep pushing because you are making an impact in these students' lives. Remember, if something goes wrong, just keep pushing.” Together, we will encourage students to achieve their best with love and faith in their potential, and we will empower them to grow.
LexRich5, let's roll out and transform!
Akil E. Ross, Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
Biography
Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr. is an experienced educator who currently serves as the Superintendent for Lexington-Richland School District Five. He started his career in education over 20 years ago as a teacher and coach at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, South Carolina. In 2005, he joined Lexington-Richland School District Five, where he worked as an assistant principal and then became the principal of Chapin High School. In 2018, he left Chapin High School to become the Director of Secondary Education for the district. Dr. Ross is also an accomplished author and an Affiliate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). He left School District Five in 2018 to start HeartED, LLC, an educational consulting firm that shares lessons and strategies to help communities empower every child. He was appointed as the Superintendent of School District Five in February of 2022.
Dr. Ross earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University in 2002. In 2005, he obtained his master's degree in Secondary Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. In 2009, he earned his educational specialist degree from South Carolina State University. In July 2012, he earned his doctorate in Curriculum Studies from the University of South Carolina.
Throughout his career, Dr. Ross has received numerous professional recognitions and accomplishments. In 2017, he was named the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) Secondary Principal of the Year, and in 2018 he received the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Principal of the Year award. He was also featured in Principal Leadership Magazine, The Rotarian Magazine, and Columbia Business Monthly as one of the 50 Most Influential people in 2018. In 2020, Dr. Ross was named the UofSC College of Education Adjunct Professor of the Year.
Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr.
Superintendent
803-476-8169
aross@lexrich5.org
Amee White
Executive Administrative Assistant for Board of Trustees and Superintendent
803-476-8169
awhite@lexrich5.org