ADAMS TOWNSHIP — The plan is to hire an interim superintendent at Clinton-Massie to head the district until a longer-term successor to David Baits can be found.

In a statement to the News Journal, Clinton-Massie Local Schools Board of Education President Jeremy Lamb said the board will post the position of superintendent and conduct “a thorough search and interview process” to pick the district’s next leader.

A special school board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 which will involve an executive session for private discussions by the board on finding a replacement.

Baits said Wednesday that the district and he “mutually agreed to part ways.”

When he became superintendent in June 2014, the school district had some financial issues and still does, he said.

Due to staff reductions, the Clinton-Massie district “will be in the black this year” with its budget, whereas last year it was in the red, said Baits.

Much of the staff reduction occurred through retirements, and was accompanied by “trying to move things around,” he added.

A tax levy is “down the road” for the district, said Baits.

His plans for his new-found free time include “four beautiful grandchildren,” three of whom are in Florida and one in Brazil. His last work day as superintendent is Jan. 29.

On Wednesday, Wilmington-based Southern Ohio Educational Service Center (SOESC) Superintendent Tony Long said the Clinton-Massie school board had contacted the SOESC to assist it in a search for an interim superintendent, “and I anticipate their permanent superintendent as well.”

The SOESC’s superintendent search service tries to facilitate the process of identifying the “best possible superintendent available,” said Long.

“The most important thing right now is the selection of a high quality interim superintendent,” he added.

Long will attend Thursday’s special meeting at the Clinton-Massie Middle School.

As previously reported, the Clinton-Massie school board this week approved a separation agreement with Baits. His contract with Clinton-Massie was for the time period from June 1, 2014 through July 31, 2017.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.

At this week’s regular session of the Clinton-Massie school board, the two men elected in fall 2015 to the board take their oaths of office. From left are David Webb, who is a former longtime Adams Township trustee but is new to the board of education, and Chris Harrison, who already was part of the board. The five-person school board seeks a new district superintendent due to the pending departure of David F. Baits.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/01/web1_swear_in_p_f.jpgAt this week’s regular session of the Clinton-Massie school board, the two men elected in fall 2015 to the board take their oaths of office. From left are David Webb, who is a former longtime Adams Township trustee but is new to the board of education, and Chris Harrison, who already was part of the board. The five-person school board seeks a new district superintendent due to the pending departure of David F. Baits.