District: Sasscer to resign from E-Chowan Schools on June 21

EDENTON — Edenton-Chowan Schools Superintendent Michael Sasscer plans to resign from the district in June, the school district announced late Tuesday night.

A press release from the school district said Sasscer, Edenton-Chowan’s superintendent for the past four years, plans to step down on June 21. The Edenton-Chowan Board of Education accepted Sasscer’s resignation on Tuesday, according to the release.

“It has been an honor to serve in a community that is passionate about education,” Sasscer said in the release. “I am thankful for the joy our students, families and staff brought me everyday.”

According to the release, the Edenton-Chowan Schools during Sasscer’s tenure “navigated a global pandemic, began construction of a new high school, expanded workforce development programs, (and) restructured the elementary schools to enhance continuity within a PreK-5 model.”

Also during Sasscer’s tenure, the district “implemented a mindful global leaders framework that nurtures students’ health and well being while equipping them with skills to be leaders now and in the future.”

The district also was deemed “low performing” by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction last fall because of students’ low scores on state testing. District officials have been working ever since on a number of strategies to remove the low-performing label.

Board Chairman Gene Jordan said the Edenton-Chowan Board of Education accepted Sasscer’s resignation “with much sadness.”

“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Dr. Sasscer for four years of exceptional service to the students of Edenton-Chowan Schools and to the citizens of Chowan County,” he said. “We thank Dr. Sasscer for his leadership and tireless effort when we faced the challenges of the COVID pandemic and especially for his work leading the new John A Holmes High School construction project. We wish him and his family much success in their future endeavors.”

Edenton-Chowan Educational Foundation Director Joy Harvill credited Sasscer with initiatives and leadership she said will be missed.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Dr. Michael Sasscer," she said. "His guidance has been instrumental in restructuring and strengthening the Educational Foundation. We appreciate his positive, energetic leadership and wish him nothing but the best."

The announcement did not include any details about Sasscer’s future plans.