By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
Beebe School Superintendent Belinda Shook is retiring at the end of the school year after 13 years leading the district.
The school board accepted her resignation on Monday during its regular meeting.
“She dedicated her life to the district, and we hate to see this day come,” school board president Clay Goff told The Leader.
“Dr. Shook is an absolute asset to the district and the community. She is extremely knowledgeable in school finance, curriculum and administration. She is approachable and personable. Dr. Shook will continue to be a strong supporter and cheerleader for our district,” he said.
“We will miss her dearly, but we’re excited for her and her family,” Goff said.
Goff said the school board has not started a search for a new superintendent but will begin the process soon.
Shook has 32 years with the Beebe and McRae districts. She started as a fifth-grade teacher in 1986 later becoming elementary school principal, moving to assistant superintendent in 2000 for five years until hired in 2005 as superintendent. She is leaving with the class she came in with as superintendent.
She taught graduate classes in school administration for Moore has served as vice chancellor since June 2016. He was ASU-Beebe’s director of student success for five years and taught as assistant professor of business on the campus from 1998-2011.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the Southwest and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas.
He has completed coursework toward a doctoral degree in organizational leadership in higher education from Grand Canyon University.
Welch said he will seek input from campus constituencies this fall and anticipates a nationwide search for a successor next spring.
ASU-Beebe, which has an enrollment of about 4,000, also has campuses at Little Rock Air Force Base, Heber Springs and Searcy.