At a special meeting Dec. 3, the Hays CISD board of trustees appointed deputy Superintendent Carter Scherff as interim superintendent for the period beginning when current Superintendent Jeremy Lyon tenders his resignation, which he expects to do in mid- or late-December when he receives a formal offer from Frisco ISD.

On Nov. 19, Lyon was named the lone finalist for the position as superintendent of Frisco ISD. According to a press release that accompanied the news of Lyon's selection, Frisco ISD is the fastest-growing school district in the state.

"It's just a rare opportunity that presented itself, and that's what had me interested," Lyon said. "When they selected me, it was just a matter of 'you don't turn that down.'"

Scherff has been with HCISD since 2003. In 2009 Scherff was appointed interim superintendent while the school board searched for former Superintendent Kirk London's replacement. The board ultimately chose Lyon during that process.

"My major concern is for the district to continue on the path that it's on now," Scherff said. "I think we have a great district, we have accomplished a great deal in the last few years and we have plans to do more things this year. I don't have an agenda that's specific to me, so my goal is to keep the district moving forward on the path that it's on now."

The board also reviewed a request for proposals on Dec. 3. The RFP will be used to attract superintendent search firms and consultants who will submit bids to the district. According to a news release, the school board expects to determine which firms to interview and hire at special meetings Jan. 8 and 14. Once a firm or consultant is chosen, the board will create a plan to gather community input, post a job description and hire a permanent replacement for the position. Scherff said that entire process could take three to six months. Scherff said he does not intend to seek the full-time position.

"That's one reason why I make a good interim," he said.