CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Dr. Rick Denning gave the Cleveland Board of Education notice Monday that he plans to retire on June 30, 2011.
The announcement allows the City School Board a year to search for a new director.
"With a strong and farsighted school board in place, I feel comfortable that the timing is right for my departure," Dr. Denning said in a letter to board Chairwoman Peggy Pesterfield.
He thanked the board for an opportunity to serve in "the garden spot of the world."
Dr. Denning thanked Dawn Robinson and Bill Brown, the two longest-serving school board members "for your unwavering support of the students in Cleveland City Schools and me for the past 15 years." He thanked Mayor Tom Rowland, whom he called the education mayor, and the City Council for "providing the dollars for our first-class schools."
"No amount of thanks can give credit to the extraordinary administrators and staff members in Cleveland City Schools. My replacement will feel very fortunate to inherit such a marvelous group of professional people to work with," Dr. Denning said.
He also thanked "my spiritual confidant and friend, the Rev. Max Morris."
"I wanted to be sure you had time to do it right," Dr. Denning told the board regarding a search for his replacement. Athens, Tenn., took eight months, he noted.
"It's always unsettling to have a transition. But we want to do it right," said board member Steve Morgan.
Mrs. Pesterfield said she soon will ask the Tennessee School Boards Association to discuss conducting a national search.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
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