Deasy Lieutenant Takes Over System

The deputy superintendent of Prince George's County schools will take full charge of the system as interim chief Dec. 1, the county school board announced yesterday.

William R. Hite Jr., the second-in-command of the 130,000-student system, will step in for outgoing Superintendent John E. Deasy, who announced Sept. 30 that he was leaving to become deputy director of education for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The board had named Hite interim superintendent Sept. 30, saying Hite and Deasy were to "work in tandem" until Deasy left office. Yesterday's announcement sets a date for the full transfer of power.

"I want to make it clear that he is taking care of the responsibility and I will be glad to support him in any way I can," Deasy said.

Hite, 47, spent most of his career as a teacher and administrator in Henrico County near Richmond. Since coming to Prince George's in 2006, he has worked with Deasy to develop a strategy for improving student performance. Hite has said he intends to apply for the superintendent's job on a permanent basis. He is the only candidate to publicly express interest in the post.

"John and I have been working on transitioning, his exit and my entry, and it's really important for us to communicate a message that we're sustaining the work that we've done," Hite said.

Board Chairman Verjeana M. Jacobs (At Large) said in a statement that the board is "pleased that Dr. Hite will ensure the day-to-day operations of our schools and the work of improving student achievement." She said the board, with community input, will begin looking for "a person who is the best fit for our school district."