by Kate Evans
Morgan County Schools Superintendent Dr. Erich May submitted his
Erich May.
resignation as superintendent on Tuesday, April 30, effective June 30. He has accepted a position as superintendent at Brookville Area School District in northwestern Pennsylvania.
The Morgan County School Board was scheduled to approve May’s resignation as part of the personnel actions at yesterday’s 9:00 a.m. school board meeting.
May said in an email late last week that Brookville is the school district next door to where he grew up so the move is kind of a homecoming for him and his wife.
“It’s been a great honor to serve as superintendent of Morgan County Schools.The school board could choose an interim superintendent and then hire a superintendent to start in the fall.
The kids are wonderful, and so is the community. I’m grateful for the hard work of principals, directors, teachers and support staff. I also appreciate all the efforts of our board,” May said.
May said that he will begin his new job July 1.
School board president Aaron Close said on Friday that the board will discuss at their May 7 meeting whether they’d be posting the position, interviewing candidates and looking for long-term candidates or whether they’d put out a request for an interim superintendent and accept letters of interest.
Close said that an interim superintendent position could start July 1 and end any time. The position doesn’t have to last until June 30 of next year.
That was how May was first hired by Morgan County Schools, as an interim replacement for former superintendent David Banks.
May served as interim superintendent for the school district from August 15, 2017 through June 30, 2018. In May 2018, the school board approved a two-year contract of employment for May from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2020.
In light of May’s resignation, the school board has to consider whether to retain the West Virginia School Board Association to assist with the board’s search for a superintendent, Close said. Local school officials would hire the School Board Authority to put the job posting in regional newspapers.
Close lauded Dr. May’s efforts as county superintendent.
“On day one Dr. May and his family committed to and succeeded in assisting in the betterment of Morgan County Schools. He accomplished many tall tasks in the short time he has been here and I know Dr. May and his family have a high regard for the value of public education. I know he will be successful in moving any school district which he leads forward,” Close said.
Close also expressed his gratitude to the family “for entrenching themselves into Morgan County.”
“I hope they were as blessed and delighted during their stay as we were,” said Close.
