CULLMAN (WBRC) – The Cullman County Board of Education has accepted the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Craig Ross.
Five board members voted to accept the resignation and tow members abstained. Assistant Superintendent Brandon Payne has been appointed interim superintendent until the board can select a new superintendent.
The resignation was announced during a special called meeting Thursday evening to deal with personnel actions.
Ross has been at the center of several controversial decisions that upset residents, such as the closure of Garden City Elementary School and the purchase of lake property adjacent to the school system's Section 16 lands. This Section 16 property is land allotted to school systems across the nation from the federal government and are meant to be used at a system's discretion to maintain operations.
Parents were also upset when Ross placed Fairview High School Principal Chris Gambrill on leave. Gambrill was reinstated weeks later without a full explanation, just that the investigation did not involve law enforcement or the mistreatment of students or employees.
Ross became the county school system's first appointed superintendent in May 2014. This was made possible by a change in state law that allowed the system to convert from an elected superintendent to an appointed superintendent.
Ross received a satisfactory rating from the board and an above average rating from school administrators during his evaluation in June 2015.
Originally posted on WBRC.com.
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