Seth Turner, the superintendent of the Amagansett School District for the last five years, has resigned "effective immediately," the district announced Wednesday night.
The news came on the heels of a fake bomb threat earlier in the day, and amid the district's grappling with issues of security and employee morale for several months.
"The board of education appreciates the leadership that Mr. Turner provided as superintendent of schools and wishes him well in his future endeavors," Kristen V. Peterson, the board president, said in a statement on Wednesday.
In a statement of his own, Mr. Turner said "It has been a privilege to serve the students, educators, and the entire Amagansett community."
"Working as a team," he continued, "this district has made significant progress, and I am proud to have played a role in moving this district forward. I wish the board and the community much success during the remainder of the school year and look forward to seeing the great work Amagansett does in the future."
Amagansett was recently named a high-performing National Blue Ribbon School, one of just three on Long Island to achieve that honor this year. Also under Mr. Turner's watch, the school was honored as a Recognition School by the State Education Department in 2019 and as an Elementary School of Musical Excellence by the Suffolk County Music Educators Association in 2022.
In a special meeting Wednesday night, the school board appointed an interim superintendent, Richard Loeschner, whom they anticipate will remain in the role through June 2024. Mr. Loeschner recently retired as superintendent of the Brentwood School District in western Suffolk County, where he was employed for 24 years. His background is in math education. In 2016, he was named New York State Principal of the Year.
"The board believes Mr. Loeschner's vast professional experience and congenial demeanor make him an excellent choice for this appointment," Ms. Peterson said.
She said the district anticipates hiring a leadership search firm to help it select the next superintendent, pledging that the process will include "community engagement, creation of a candidate profile, advertising, recruitment, screening of applications, and consultation with the board through interview rounds and selection," along with regular communication.
"As we know, change is an inevitable facet of our lives, and while it comes with uncertainty, we prefer to embrace the positive aspects that this leadership change will ultimately bring to our Amagansett School and community," Ms. Peterson concluded.