Accomack School Board takes no action on Chincoteague AD; Spiedel resigns

By Linda Cicoira

Accomack School Board members decided Tuesday to hire staff already on the athletic teams at Nandua and Arcadia High Schools and to continue taking applications for the post at Chincoteague Combined School rather than hire the part-time nine-year athletic director who doesn’t qualify under the new requirements.

It was also disclosed during the session that Board Member Jesse Speidel of the Island District submitted his resignation to Board Chairman Edward Taylor earlier in the day. The session will be his last, as the resignation is effective Wednesday.

The now-defunct School Board Selection Commission first appointed Speidel to the board. He later won the seat at the polls a few years ago when the board became an elected body. Now it will be up to the other school board members to appoint someone to take his place until a special election can be held.

Speidel said he was leaving to devote more time to family and his job at NOAA. He would not comment about whether the controversy regarding hiring the athletic director was a factor. Connie Burford, who ran against him, said she is interested in being on the board, but will have to talk it over with her daughter, who is a teacher at Chincoteague Elementary School.

The three high schools previously had athletic directors who were paid stipends and did not require a college degree. The change makes the jobs administrative positions that are said to carry more responsibility, are full-time, and pay between $63,000 and $93,000.