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Mark Patrick has worked at the school for 16 years and led the school since 2020, according to his letter of resignation that was submitted to the school’s board of trustees on Dec. 20.

In the letter, Patrick said he was grateful for the opportunities he has had at North Carolina School for the Deaf, but said there have been actions and decisions the school’s board of trustees — established in 2024 by a new state law — that he believes exceed the scope of the board’s authority.

School sees changes in structure, leadership

The North Carolina School for the Deaf in Â鶹´«Ã½ was previously controlled by the North Carolina State Board of Education, but a 2023 state legislative bill led to the creation of an independent board of trustees for the Â鶹´«Ã½ school.

Four of the five board members are appointed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly (two appointed by the House and two by the Senate) and one person is appointed by the State Board of Education.

The school was administratively housed in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction until December.

Senate Bill 382, a 132-page bill that contained legislation for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Helene, became law after the NC General Assembly voted to override then-Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the law.

The bill contained legislation removing the school for the deaf and its two sister schools — the Eastern NC School for the Deaf and the Governor Morehead School for the Blind — from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s oversight. The school remains administratively housed in NCDPI until July 1.

The school will only receive a few services from DPI, including liability insurance for employees. Senate Bill 382 also named the Department of Administration as the school’s administrative support for finance, human resources and procurement.

Besides that, the school is now an independent entity that reports only to its board of trustees.

Patrick cites ethics as reason for departure

Patrick said some actions and decisions made by the board “exceed the scope of their governance role,� according to a letter he penned to the board of trustees on Dec. 20.

“It has become increasingly clear that the board’s involvement in school operations has been and will continue to be detrimental to the effective leadership which will impact the sustainability and viability of the school,� Patrick said in the letter.

Patrick did not mention any specific instances of the board acting outside its parameters, but said the current situation made it “untenable� for him to continue in his role there.

“Throughout my tenure, I have prioritized the best interests of our students, staff, and the broader school community,� Patrick said in the letter. “However, the current situation has made it untenable for me to continue in my role while maintaining the high ethical standards and professional integrity that I hold dear.�

Board Chairwoman Sandy Turner said she doesn’t think the board had done anything unethical.

“I don’t think, I know, we haven’t done anything unethical,� Turner said. “And we haven’t. We’ve just tried to do what we’ve been mandated by the legislation to do.�

She said trustees won’t be involved in day-to-day operations and management of the school. The board has formed multiple committees in all areas of school operations from human resources and finance to curriculum and admissions so the board can better understand the needs of the school, Turner said.

“It is the needs that will drive board policy, hiring and all of our budgetary decisions,� she said.

Turner said the transition from NCDPI oversight to an independent board of trustees has been challenging.

“The transition has been extremely difficult for everyone involved, given the need for additional statutory changes and the financial uncertainties that have been created by this independence,� Turner said. “We’re kind of building the plane as we go.�

What’s next for Patrick?

Looking back on his 16 years at the school — five of those as director — Patrick said he was proud of the strides the school made toward academic achievement.

The school became accredited through March 2027, completed a corrective action plan for the exceptional children’s program and implemented a strategic plan under Patrick’s tenure, he said in a letter to students, parents and employees.

Other accomplishments Patrick cited included upgrades to the school property, implementing standards-based curriculum, integrating technology in the classroom and completed and corrected five action plans that were against the school when he became director. Patrick said the school also saw an improvement in teacher working conditions, according to the Teacher Working Conditions Survey.

“Mr. Patrick has done a fine job and I’m very pleased for him to retire, I did it myself many years ago,� Turner said. “I think anything that he strikes out to do he will do well, and we do wish him very good luck in all of his endeavors going forward. He’s been a very prominent part of the community.�

Next on the horizon for Patrick is a move up the East Coast. On Jan. 2, he was named the next director of St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf in New York City.

“As my time at NCSD comes to a close, my hope is that NCSD will continue to prosper,� Patrick said in the letter to the public. “My wish is that all decisions are student-centered as a positive, student-centered culture is critical for continued successes to occur. NCSD can continue to grow in many ways.

“It is essential that NCSD pushes onward and forward with continuous efforts to improve language and achievement outcomes for the students. School culture and climate drive those successes when each member of the school fills the environment with energy, enthusiasm and hope.�

The board appointed Kristen Todd, a speech language pathologist at the school, as the acting director, according to a letter Turner wrote that was published on the school’s website.