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Starting July 1, Dr. Christopher Coleman will serve as Isle of Wight County Schools’ acting superintendent as the School Board continues to evaluate candidates to fill the role permanently.

Superintendent Dr. Jim Thornton, who’s served in the role since 2015, will retire effective June 30.

Coleman currently serves as the school system’s executive director of school administration and operations — a position that won’t exist next school year under a streamlined central office hierarchy the School Board approved in December.

Coleman was already set for a July 1 promotion to assistant superintendent per the School Board’s unanimous vote in March. The board’s June 9 vote to name Coleman acting superintendent was also unanimous.

Per state law, the School Board has 180 days starting July 1 to name Thornton’s permanent successor. The application window for the position opened May 2 and closed May 27. The Virginia School Boards Association is assisting Isle of Wight with the transition and hiring process.