The Bulloch County school system’s loss is the Bryan County school system’s gain.
After a nearly two-hour executive session Thursday night, the Bulloch County school board emerged from behind closed doors at about 10 p.m. and unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Dr. Fran Stephens, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.
The action also released Stephens from her contract, allowing her to accept a new position as an assistant principal at Richmond Hill High School.
The move allows Stephens to be closer to family in Brunswick and fulfills her desire to return to a school setting from central administration.
“I will always treasure my years in Bulloch County,” Stephens said in a statement released after the board meeting Thursday night. “I have worked with many outstanding educators and support staff. I am excited about the opportunity to work in a school again. I love working directly with teachers and students.”
Stephens resigned Oct. 18. Bulloch County Schools spokeswoman Hayley Greene said Stephens asked to be released from her contract to accept the Richmond Hill position because the Bryan County school board had been trying to fill the vacancy “for quite some time.”
Greene added that the Bulloch County school system intends to fill the vacancy left by Stephens.
Stephens worked a total of 22 years in Screven and Bulloch counties.
She began her education career as an English teacher at Screven County High School. After a half-year there, she moved to Southeast Bulloch High School, where she spent 13 years as an English teacher.
She was promoted to the Bulloch County school system’s central office, where she served two years as curriculum director and eight years as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. She also served about two months as interim superintendent after Dr. Lewis Holloway resigned to become superintendent of the Starkville, Miss., school district, in May 2012, until Charles Wilson was promoted from assistant superintendent of business and finance in July 2012.
“We definitely want to give Dr. Stephens the respect she deserves,” Wilson said. “She led our school system’s most recent successful accreditation process, and through the years, she oversaw the implementation of numerous state-required academic standards changes and initiatives such as Common Core. She also willingly stepped up to serve our community as interim superintendent. We wish her continued success.”