OXFORD— On Nov. 17 the Oxford School District Board announced an agreement to offer Shawn Bissetta the position of Superintendent of Schools after a lengthy search.

“Pending the successful negotiation of a contract, the Board anticipates making a formal appointment at its meeting on December 8,” said Dawn Golden, who serves as President of the Oxford Board of Education.

According to Golden, it is anticipated that Mr. Bissetta will begin his tenure as Oxford School district superintendent in early January 2015.

“The Board would like to thank everyone who participated in this selection process,” Golden said, “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of all committee members who provided input to the Board that was so instrumental in our final decision.”

The appointment permanently fills an interim position that was satisfied by Gray Stevens while the district sought out a replacement for Dr. David Richards, who resigned at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year.

Stevens, of Oxford, retired as the district’s superintendent in 2005, and has served as an interim in several area districts since that time.

Richards, who had been the superintendent in Oxford since 2012, accepted an offer to serve as Superintendent of Schools in the Unatego Central School District upon his departure.

“The Board of Education is looking forward to working with Mr. Bissetta into the future,” Golden said. “(Mr Bissetta) was the best suited for the position out of all the applicants that we interviewed, and has an impressive wealth of expertise in a number of fields.”