Pittsfield school superintendent Bryan Lane resigned effective immediately at the school board meeting last week. 

Lane declined to share the reasons behind his resignation but said he looks forward to spending more time with his family.

“I’m proud of the staff and students in the Pittsfield community,” he said in an interview. “It was an honor to work with them.”

Pittsfield school board chair Sandra Adams confirmed that the resignation occurred on Thursday, Dec. 5, but wouldn’t provide any further information.

“The Board is working closely with building-level administration to ensure a smooth transition,” Adams wrote in an email to the community following Lane’s resignation. “Additionally, the Board is working in collaboration with the New Hampshire Schools Boards Association (NHSBA) as well as the Department of Education (DOE) to find a suitable interim candidate for the position of superintendent of schools for the Pittsfield School District.”

With a population of just over 4,000 people, Pittsfield is one of the smaller communities in the state to run its own high school. The district has struggled with funding due to lean state aid for education and has pared back staffing to stave off tax steep tax increases.

Lane served as the superintendent of the Pittsfield school district since 2021.

In addition to needing to search for Lane’s replacement, the Pittsfield School  Board faces another difficult budget year ahead. School spending is expected to rise from $11 million to about $12.5 million, an increase of about 13%, driven primarily by $1 million in new special education costs. The current proposed budget would increase taxes by nearly $1,500 a year for a home worth around $350,000, according to a budget report from Nov. 17.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com.