Dale Frye, a seven-year veteran of the Moore County Board of Education, has been elected its new chairman.

Frye was elected by acclamation at the board's annual organizational meeting Monday night.

Frye was elected to the board in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He has served as the board's vice chairman for the past two years.

Board member Lorna Clack nominated Frye, who expressed his gratitude after his election.

"I am both humbled and grateful for the honor of being given the opportunity by my fellow board members to serve as chairman of the Moore County Board of Education," Frye said. "This coming year will present many challenges that will test all of us in our quest to provide the best possible educational opportunities for our schoolchildren."

Frye thanked his fellow board members and the school system's administration. He also thanked the residents of Moore County for their support of the school system's bond project. Two new schools -- Crain's Creek Middle School and West Pine Elementary -- will open next year.

Frye replaces Kathy Farren, who served as chairwoman for the past year. The school board traditionally rotates the chairmanship on an annual basis.

Pam Thompson was elected vice chairwoman. Nominated by Sue Black, she too was elected by acclamation. Thompson was elected to her first term on the board in 2006.

Both she and Frye -- along with board member Sue Black -- will be up for election in 2010. All three are at-large members.

In other business, the school system announced in a news release that it has hired Kathy Kennedy, of Fayetteville, as the new associate superintendent for curriculum design and innovation. Kennedy's job incorporates some of responsibilities of the former executive director for curriculum position that was held by Beverlee Beale. She retired earlier this year.

Superintendent Susan Purser said Tuesday that by calling it an associate superintendent, it conveys the importance of student instruction to the school system.

Kennedy currently serves as executive director of elementary education for the Cumberland County school system and has worked in education for the past 25 years.

She has worked as a classroom teacher, elementary associate principal and principal before assuming her present position.

As a principal, she led her school to recognition as both a national Blue Ribbon School and the recipient of a "Top 25 School" Award. Personal honors include School Teacher of the Year, a finalist for Cumberland County Principal of the Year and president of the North Carolina Association of Elementary Educators. She has been a featured presenter and keynote speaker at many local, state and national conferences.

Kennedy received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Concord College in Athens, W.Va., her master's in elementary education and certification in educational administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She is presently pursuing her doctorate at Wingate University.

"We are excited to have Mrs. Kennedy join our leadership team in Moore County Schools," Superintendent Susan Purser said in the release. "Her background, experience and accomplishments are exceptional, and we look forward to her contributions as we continue to move our instructional programs and our students to a higher level."

Contact John Krahnert III at (910) 693-2473 or by e-mail at jkrahnert@thepilot.com.