Mark Gross

Mars School Board approved Mark Gross as the district's new superintendent Tuesday night. He will be replacing Wesley Shipley in the position.

With eight of nine members present for the virtual meeting, the board unanimously voted in favor of engaging Gross in a five-year contract, effective July 1.

“From our first virtual introduction, there was something special about Dr. Gross that continued to grow and strengthen with each subsequent interaction," said John L. Kennedy, board president, in a statement released by the district. "The more that we learned about his leadership style, diverse educational experiences and passion for student success, the more we became convinced that he is the very best choice to lead our school district into its bright future."

Gross is the current assistant superintendent for secondary education at Hempfield Area School District in Westmorland County.

This is a developing story. See Thursday's Butler Eagle for the full article.