WINDSOR – It took only minutes for the Bertie County Board of Education to choose an interim leader.

Moments after accepting the resignation of Dr. Chip Zullinger as Superintendent of Schools, the board, on Thursday, appointed Dr. William Rodney Crawford to serve as Interim Superintendent.

Dr. Crawford comes to Bertie County after serving as an educational consultant for the past year. Before that he served as Superintendent of the Orange County (Va.) Public Schools and the Newton-Conover City Schools in North Carolina.

After being introduced by the board, Dr. Crawford said he was excited about the challenge of leading the school district, despite the upheaval of the last several weeks.

“It’s a challenge,” he said. “I do think I have some history, experience and expertise to help.”

Dr. Crawford said his philosophy was to concentrate on teachers and students.

“I am all about wanting teachers to improve their craft and students to perform,” he said.

The new interim superintendent said that he knew the disruption of a superintendent leaving, an interim coming in and the search process could be distracting, but he would do all he could to minimize it.

“I want to limit the affect it has on students and teachers,” he said. “In a short time, I want the leadership to have a positive effect.”

The board entered a contract with Dr. Crawford that calls for him to begin as Interim Superintendent on Monday (Aug. 2) and continue in that role through June 30, 2011. The board can end the contract with 30 days notice or the two parties can mutually agree to end it.

While he serves the board, Dr. Crawford will be paid $7,000 per month plus a monthly stipend of $2,000 to cover temporary housing, food and travel. He will also be paid a car allowance of $700 per month.

Dr. Crawford has been an educational consultant since leaving his post with Orange County. He began his duties there in July of 2005 after retiring as Superintendent of Newton-Conover City Schools.

He served in Virginia for three years before the school board there, which had made a radical transformation after his hire, opted not to renew his contract. Eventually the two sides mutually agreed to terminate Dr. Crawford’s contract eight months early. Despite that parting of ways, Dr. Crawford was given a letter of recommendation by the school board touting his successes while in the district.

In addition to his service as a consultant and superintendent, Dr. Crawford spent time as Director of Secondary Employment with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and as Principal of West Charlotte High School.

He also was principal of Spaugh Middle School of Math, Science and Technology, Blackburn Middle School and Tuttle Middle School. He also served as an Assistant Principal and taught science for 10 years.

Dr. Crawford graduated from Central Davidson High school before earning a Bachelor of Science Degree from Appalachian State University. He went on to earn a master’s degree from North Carolina A&T State University and a Doctorate of Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.