Donald W. Pace, former Clark County School District superintendent, has been hired as interim superintendent of the Mason County School District.
Pace's hiring was unanimously approved during a special meeting of the Mason County Board of Education Nov. 7. He began his duties on Friday and will serve as interim superintendent while a search for a new superintendent of schools is conducted.
His contract is scheduled to end June 30.
“Mason County is a quality school system and I plan to build upon that during my tenure here. I know that finding a new school superintendent will not be difficult,” Pace said.
Pace replaces Tim Moore, who retired amidst a recent state audit of Mason County schools that found nearly $200,000 in expenses during the past four years that seemed excessive, lacked oversight or documentation, or had no clear business purpose, according to the Maysville Ledger Independent.
Pace said he plans to become familiar with the district administrators, teachers and staff, and will also begin to meet members of the community and civic organizations.Pace’s education career in Clark County began in 1967 and spanned 32 years, including his 1984-1999 tenure as superintendent of Clark County Schools. Pace also served 16 years as principal of Conkwright Junior High School and briefly as principal of Fannie Bush Elementary and Belmont Junior High School.
Mason County Board of Education member Kirby Rosser expressed gratitude to Pace for accepting the position.
“We’re just glad to have him serve as an interim. Hopefully, he will carry us through this little spot. I appreciate him taking the time and having the courage to come over and help us out,”¿Rosser said.
Pace currently serves as a governor-appointed board member of the School Facilities Construction Commission; an ad-hoc proxy member for Kentucky Group Health Insurance Board, Kentucky Teacher Retirement System; and as co-chairman of the Kentucky Health and Insurance Committee for the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association.
Pace began teaching for Harlan County Schools while in college in 1958. From 1961 to 1965, he taught and was basketball coach at Liberty Union Junior High School in Butler County, Ohio. He served as administrator and assistant high school principal in the Walton-Verona (Kentucky) school district from 1965 to 1967.
Pace’s experience at Clark County earned him an appointment as adjunct professor in Eastern Kentucky University's education graduate school program from 1994 to 1996.
After leaving Clark County, he served as executive director/director of finance for Central Kentucky Education Cooperative at the University of Kentucky from 1999 to 2008.
Pace earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Rank I administrative certification and leadership certification from Eastern Kentucky University.
