By Brad Palmer
Salem, IL – A south-central Illinois school district is starting to move forward following the sudden death of its superintendent earlier this month.
Salem Community High School Superintendent Barbara Smith died from a massive heart attack on September 7th.
The school board last week approved the hiring of High School Principal Brad Detering as her successor. He says it's his job now to keep the district moving forward as Smith would've wanted.
Detering says when Smith became superintendent in 2003, she quickly improved staff morale, stabilized school funding and implemented more technology into the classrooms. Three things Detering says will be among his priorities in the job.
Detering and Smith worked closely together for six years and he says it was her wish for him to succeed her when she retired at the end of the current school year. Detering in his 15th year overall with the district.
