FRANKLIN

On Friday, Franklin City Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Kelvin Edwards Sr. contacted The Tidewater News via email and announced that that day would be his last with the school division.

Superintendent Tamara Sterling confirmed to the newspaper that the school division had known of Edwards’ planned departure for about one week. The superintendent said it was her understanding that Edwards planned to relocate to North Carolina.

“He was a wonderful member of the FCPS family and we credit many of our advancements to him, especially with the family-style dining he initiated,” Sterling added.

Edwards, via another email to the newspaper shortly after 2 o’clock that afternoon, said he would be joining Northampton County Schools as that district’s new assistant superintendent of human resources.

“My last five years serving Franklin City Public Schools has been a highlight of my career,” Edwards said. “I will miss working with my colleagues in Franklin City Public Schools and the people of the Franklin City Community.”

Interim Franklin City School Board Chairwoman Andrea Hall-Leonard shared with The Tidewater News that she and the rest of the school board were very grateful of having Edwards as part of the team.

“It has been a pleasure having Mr. Kelvin Edwards as a part of the Franklin City Public Schools’ staff,” she said, “The School Board wishes him well in his future endeavors and appreciates the contribution he has made to assist the division in our continued success.”

In addition to his duties as deputy superintendent, Edwards had also been serving as the division’s public information officer. Sterling said that for the time being, she has assumed the role of acting PIO, and confirmed that the division plans to advertise for a new spokesperson position in the near future.

KENYA SMITH, staff writer, contributed to this story.