Selma City Schools Superintendent Austin Obasohan will work closely with school board members to provide a smooth transition before he leaves to take a new position in North Carolina.

Obasohan announced his resignation Wednesday during the school board meeting at Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School. The Selma Times-Journal had first reported earlier in the day at www.selmatimesjournal.com the Duplin County School District had hired Obasohan. His last day is June 30.

“There have been some challenges and there will continue to be some challenges,” the superintendent said as he talked about his decision to take the job in Dublin.

Obasohan thanked the students, teachers, principals, staff and parents for working with him during his tenure since his hire in July 2008.

The superintendent encouraged the community to continue with plans to construct a new high school. “Our children deserve it. They deserve it. They deserve it,” he said.

School board members each said they enjoyed working with Obasohan.

“This is kind of a sad occasion for me with Dr. Obasohan giving us the information he gave us tonight,” said school board president Henry Hicks Sr., who has worked closely with the superintendent.

Hicks said Obasohan would give a recommendation as to an interim superintendent until the board can begin to conduct a search. Hicks said the school board should have a timeline within the next two weeks.

Obasohan moved from Concord, N.C. to Selma to lead the school district. He has a doctorate from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.

The meeting focused on Obasohan’s resignation, although the board went into executive session to discuss the good name and character of school employees. That closed-door session lasted about 1 hour and 10 minutes. No vote came out of the session, said Hicks.