Merideth is retiring as superintendent of Durant Schools e _ ective July 1
Retiring Durant School District Superintendent Duane Merideth attended his last regular meeting of the Durant Board of Education on Monday.
Merideth announced in February that he is retiring as superintendent effective July 1, which is the end of his contract for the 2023-2024 school year.
He has served 40 years in education, including previously being Durant Middle School principal, Durant High School principal, Durant Intermediate School principal, superintendent of Rock Creek Schools and assistant superintendent at Durant Schools. He was named Durant Superintendent in 2014.
Mark Moring, currently the superintendent of the Davis School District, was hired last month to replace Merideth effective July 1.
Moring was present for last Monday’s board meeting and welcomed by the board.
“I’m pleased to have our new superintendent, Mark Moring, here today,” said board Vice President Paul Buntz.
Merideth spoke to the school board before the end of the meeting.
“I am so grateful to this board and boards that preceded you and staff here and our community,” Merideth said. “I’ve just been immensely blessed and I want you guys to know that. I’m still available to help and I told Mr. Moring that I want you to be extraordinary successful and I’ll do anything I can to help you with that. Again, it’s been just such a blessing for my wife and myself. I can’t say thank you enough.
“We talk about, Durant Lions, once a Lion always a Lion and that’s who we are but the one team, one family is what defines us. I hope that never fades away. Thank you again for everything.”
Board member Joyce Northcutt spoke of the school district being in good shape because of Merideth’s leadership.
“You know, it’s hard,” Northcutt said. “It’s hard for all of us to lose you but when you’re leaving us, you need to be standing pretty proud because of leaving us in financial strength. We have good facilities. Do we have issues that other school systems do? Yes, we do but we are in good shape. We’re in very good shape and it’s because you’ve done that for us. So, I want you, when you walk out that door for the last time, I want you to know that you’ve done a heck of a good job and we are very, very thankful that we’ve had you.”
Merideth replied, “I appreciate it, very much.”
Buntz also spoke. “I would add that there are many levels of government where there is very little confi dence in the government,” Buntz said. “But I think Durant Public Schools, that I have a lot of confidence in the schools, a lot of that due to your leadership. A lot of that due to the staff that we have, the teachers, support personnel which I think are top notch. I feel good about our future with Mr. Moring coming in and I think he’s going to do a great job for us and I think that the people of Durant have a very high level of confidence in Durant Public Schools and thank you for that.”
After the meeting, Merideth spoke about some of his future plans with wife Melanie, who is also retiring from the school district. She has served as the Vision Academy counselor.
“My wife and I have plans of traveling some,” Merideth said. “Of course, we’ll take care of the cows at home. Make that more full time than we have been and do the things we need to do for family and friends and again, if the district needs something, I’ll still be around.”
Merideth again spoke of how the school district is a team and family.
“The one team, one family is what defines us and the community and I hope that we never lose that,” he said.
