UPDATED: Central Berkshire Set to Ratify Contract with Superintendent Cameron

Superintendent Dr. William Cameron has decided to take a position with another school district, members of the School Committee said on Wednesday.

School Committee members said Cameron intends to honor a stipulation in his contract requiring 120 days notice before departing, which would put the superintendent's last day on the job sometime in September.

Cameron, who has been superintendent since 2007, has not made a statement to the media.

Once Cameron has signed his new contract, the committee can begin a search for a replacement, said Dr. Brendan Walsh, a School Committee member.

"It's not a done deal," Walsh said. "We're not going to do anything until he tells us he's gone, and he has not done that yet."

Even still, Cameron told the committee of his intentions to accept the other job, in the Central Berkshire Regional School District, about a month ago.

School Committee member James Fleming said Cameron has been "very honorable," in informing the committee of his intentions.

"We have 120 days (notice) in his contract," Fleming said. "He told us he would honor that."

Walsh said he holds out a "glimmer of hope" Cameron might stay. But he acknowledged it's "extremely likely" the superintendent is on his way out the door.

UPDATED:

Cameron's contract with the Central Berkshire Regional School District is expected to be ratified by the regional school committee at its May 12 meeting, according to Chairman Richard Lacatell.

"We selected him and just completed the contract," Lacatell said.

After ratification of the contract, the hiring will be a "done deal," he said.

A waiting period of 120 days before leaving for another position is fairly common in superintendents' contracts, Lacatell said."We were aware and prepared for that," Lacatell said. "But the sooner he starts, the better for us and for him."

Editor's Note: Dr. Cameron did not immediately return phone calls to Salem Patch for comment.