By Rupert Howell

South Panola Schools Superintendent Dr. Keith Shaffer submitted his request for retirement from the school district during a special meeting Friday afternoon.

Shaffer has served as South Panola’s chief administrator for the past eight years after he served as the school’s personnel director for two. Prior to his South Panola employment, he served as Coahoma County’s elected superintendent for three years of an unexpired term and has been in the education business for a total of almost 30 years.

Shaffer said his resignation had nothing to do with the termination of a South Panola High School English teacher and later provided documentation to a reporter showing that he had applied for a position in July that was offered to him Monday, October 22.

Teacher Marion Strickland, 24, was arrested two days later at the high school.

Shaffer was offered a job with AdvanceED, a global education accreditation company known locally through its work with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a job that will allow him to continue to live in Panola County.

Shaffer said the job was a once-in-20-year opportunity that also offered additional compensation through salary, benefits, “. . . and a lot less stress.” He will continue as superintendent until Dec. 31.

School board officials instructed Shaffer to provide a list of candidates to manage the district in the interim with a goal of hiring a permanent superintendent by July 1.

Trustees also instructed Shaffer to contact the Mississippi School Board Association and seek a proposal from them to provide a “superintendent’s search” or assistance with locating a new superintendent.

Trustees asked Shaffer not to include potential permanent superintendent candidates on the interim nomination list.