Melissa Balknight will remain Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ acting superintendent beyond her previously announced retirement date while the school board searches for a permanent leader, the district announced Thursday.
The decision resolves one of the immediate questions surrounding CMS leadership after the Board of Education fired Superintendent Crystal Hill on Sept. 22 and elevated Balknight, then the district’s deputy superintendent, to the acting role. Balknight already announced plans to retire Jan. 1 before Hill’s departure. That left uncertainty over who would lead the district if the superintendent search extended into the new year.
Board Chair Gregory “Dee” Rankin said Balknight’s familiarity with the district will help provide continuity while the search moves forward…