LUMBERTON — Rick Watkins has been named superintendent of the Public Schools of Robeson County.
The Board of Education approved Watkins’ appointment in a split vote on Tuesday night. Five board members voted against his appointment and five voted in favor. The board’s chairman, Mike Smith, broke the tie by voting in favor.
Watkins replaces Johnny Hunt, who served as superintendent for the county for nine years before retiring on July 1. Assistant Superintendent Tommy Lowry served as interim superintendent during the selection process.
Watkins previously worked for 29 years in North Carolina’s public education system. He served as an assistant principal, principal and assistant superintended for Human Resources in Richmond County. He spent two years in Scotland county as an associate superintendent for Administrative Services.
Watkins has been working at Wingate University for six years as an assistant professor of education, where he trained graduate students to be able to work in classrooms and other roles within school systems.
The school system declined to release the details of Watkins’ contract on Tuesday night, saying it had not been fully executed and signed.
