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Steve Basnight is the new superintendent of Dare County Schools.

After an hour-long closed-door meeting, the Dare County Board of Education unanimously agreed to offer Basnight a contract and authorized David Twiddy, chairman of the Board, and Susan Bothwell, vice chair, to sign the contract.

The contract was signed shortly after 3 p.m. on November 2, 2022.

In brief remarks, Basnight said “to me it’s more than a job. Dare County is and always has been precious to me.”

He wants Dare County to be a light, a beacon, “a lighthouse for the rest of the state in how we treat our staff.”

He said he is excited to see familiar faces and colleagues and to “move Dare County Schools forward.”

Twiddy said Basnight will be sworn in Nov. 9 at the Board of Education’s regular meeting.

The contract is effective Dec. 1, 2022.

Basnight is effectively coming home.

He spent 20 years teaching and coaching at Manteo High School.

When he moved into Dare Schools administration, he served as an administrative intern, assistant principal at First Flight Middle School, as interim principal at Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies, curriculum coordinator for the district and then principal of the county’s Alternative School.

After eight years, Basnight moved to Currituck County Schools as principal of J.P. Knapp Early College. The school was recognized as a School of Innovation and Excellence by North Carolina New Schools. He was named District Principal of the Year twice.

In the fall of 2018, Basnight was tapped as superintendent of Hyde County Schools.

Basnight is no stranger to challenges. Julio Morales with Hyde County Schools has written that Basnight charted the path forward from Hurricane Dorian for district schools. In 22.5 days after that destructive hurricane, Ocracoke School reopened. He worked to plan the reconstruction of the island school.

He sought funding for increasing broadband. Mattamuskeet Early College was cited for Promising Practices when expanded career-ready pathways in a partnership with Beaufort County Community College were offered.

Basnight formally retired after 37 years in public education only to take up the leadership mantle again for Dare County Schools.

The meeting was held in the administrative offices of Dare County Schools, which are adjacent to Nags Head Elementary School. Absent was board member Frank Hester.

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