Pike Road Schools Superintendent Dr. Chuck Ledbetter Speaks about Decision to Leave for Pelham City Schools
A change is coming for Pike Road Schools as superintendent Dr. Chuck Ledbetter has announced he is leaving.
The Pike Road School System is reaching seven years and has been under the leadership of Dr. Ledbetter for most of its existence. In an email he sent to school system families, he announced his plans to leave the town as he accepted another superintendent job with Pelham City Schools.
“Sometimes opportunities come along that you’re not necessarily looking for, but when they come, you start to look,” Ledbetter said.
Ledbetter believes the opportunity arrived at a good following the passing of the tax referendum at the end of 2021 which prepares the school system for the future.
“We’re at a point that I can hand the baton over to someone else who can take it much further than we already are.”
He said the decision also aligns with him personally, allowing him to be closer to his family.
In response to his decision, the school board has announced that they are already in the process of looking for someone to fill his shoes.
“Its hard to leave a job you know you haven’t finished, but in our industry (education) there is no finish.”
During his five years with the system, they have gone from one campus to three, brought home a football state championship, and will soon see their third graduating class.
Ledbetter said his time in Pike Road has been rewarding, and he knows the school system’s success will continue.
“You want to be able to walk away with everything tied in a string and in a little package, but that is not the way it works with schools. So, that’s the most frustrating piece because I haven’t gotten everything done I wanted to do, but I’m proud of what we have done.”
