Stout is the current assistant superintendent for finance and personnel in the Alamance-Burlington School system. He will begin work at his new position July 6, making a salary of $153,000. He is also obligated by his contract to move to Scotland County.
“I’m very excited about coming here,” Stout said. “I have the opportunity to follow in the footprints of Dr. Shirley Prince ... I’m looking forward to facing the challenges with the economy.”
Stout says he plans to talk with school staff, business leaders and community members to find what direction the school should be headed in.
“We looked at 35 applications,” Chairman Jimmy Bennett said. “When he came down to interview, he impressed us ... I think he’s going to make a great impact on this school system. He’ll work in this community and live in this community.”
“We feel he’s had the experience to look at a situation keenly and quickly and recommend what we need to do,” Board Member Charles Brown said. “He is aware of where we are academically. He comes prepared.”
Brown said he hopes Stout continues where Prince left off.
“We want him to continue some of the things that have already been started in the community,” Brown said.
A high priority for the board member is to continue with the smaller learning communities.
Brown said he was really impressed with how “well-rounded” Stout was, noting that he had served as principal at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels of a school system.
“We’ve had some wonderful candidates for the position,” Board Member Duke Williams said.
The board consensus was that Prince’s shoes would be hard to fill.
“I’d like to thank Shirley Prince for the years she’s been in the Scotland County School System,” Bennett said. “We just appreciate what she has done for the system and we wish her well in her new endeavors.”
“We are very appreciative of the work she’s done over the past 10 years,” Williams said. “I fully believe her intent was to make Scotland County the best school system in the state.”
He added that Prince had done a lot to grow different programs at the school and finding the next superintendent was difficult.
“It is always tough to replace experience,” Williams said. “With life, you must make adjustments and that is what we are doing right now.”
Not all of the board supported Stout.
Terence WIlliams voted against naming him the new superintendent.
Williams would not give a reason for voting against Stout, but said he would support the decision and Rick Stout as superintendent.
Mary Evans was not in attendance at the meeting because of a family emergency.
She said in a phone interview that she also would have voted against the Alamance administrator.
“I just felt that another candidate could have been more qualified,” Evans said. “We could have saved some money, got someone more invested in the community and more knowledgeable about technology.”
“Although I would have voted differently had I been there, I will wholeheartedly support Mr. Rick Stout.”
Prince also had kind words for Scotland County.
“I don’t think I can go onto anything better than my time in Scotland County,” Prince said. “Mr. Stout, I think you will find this school system is in great shape and ready for you to take it to the next level.”
Prince, the outgoing superintendent, is leaving to become the executive director of the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association.
Stout’s first teaching and coaching position was in Wilson. Since then he has been a principal at all grade levels from kindergarten through high school, in Craven, Martin, and Pamlico counties. He also served as the associate superintendent in Beaufort County Schools before going to Alamance County.
A New Jersey Native, Stout attended Atlantic Christian College in Wilson and has an advanced degree from East Carolina University.
Stout and wife Alfreda have two children, Ricky and Brandy.
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