PARIS – The search for a new technical school director has been put on hold for a year. Interim Region 11 Director David Mason said the board made the decision after reviewing applications that came in over the summer, after the June resignation of Dr. Thomas Cope.

“When Tom left, most tech schools had already filled positions, so we got a small pool of applicants,” Mason said.

The board has decided to wait until January or February to readvertise the position, he said. “We hope to catch people that are thinking about making a move next year.”

In the meantime, Mason has agreed to fill in as interim director for this year.

Cope left to move to Virginia to be closer to family. He took a job as director of the Rowanty Technical Center in Carson, Va.

Mason, the technical school’s assistant director for many years, served as interim director once before, before Cope’s hiring.