Merrimack Valley and Andover superintendent Randy Wormald has decided to retire at the end of the school year in 2026.

Wormald spent three three decades working in public education and was named the best high school teacher in the country in 2005.

“Dr. Wormald has served the Merrimack Valley community with dedication for many years, and the Board extended its sincere appreciation for his leadership and commitment to our district,” Merrimack Valley School Board member Jessica Wheeler Russell wrote in a statement.

The announcement comes less than two years into his tenure and follows a turbulent period for the Merrimack Valley School District, which involved the disclosure that the district had overspent by $2 million last year and led voters to reject the budget proposed by district leaders.

The SAU board will convene May 20 to vote on appointing Catherine Masterson, the current assistant superintendent and the former principal of Loudon Elementary, to succeed Wormald, according to a statement posted to the district’s website.

Wormald has spent his career in education, primarily teaching math and science prior to becoming an administrator. He spent the bulk of his teaching career in the Andover and Belmont School Districts, but also taught briefly in Taiwan and Nantucket, as well as other districts in New Hampshire. Wormald spent six years as the assistant superintendent of the SAU that includes Merrimack Valley and Andover prior to becoming superintendent in 2023.

Known as “Dr. Worm” to his students, he was lauded for the creativity and occasional costumes and musical numbers he brought to the classroom.

Wormald weathered intense criticism in recent months for the district’s financial issues from some members of the community, but he maintained widespread support among school board members and Merrimack Valley faculty, who repeatedly defended him publicly.

“I can’t imagine another district where I would see the superintendent walking the halls, chatting with staff, reading to elementary students or taking part in a friendly, yet competitive staff-versus-student dodgeball game during winter carnival,” high school special education teacher Katie Goodwin said at a meeting in March. “These things aren’t in the job description. These things are a reflection of who our leaders truly are.”

Last week, Wormald said that the financial problems that led up to the district’s over-expenditure last year had been years in the making, preceding his leadership. Still, he has repeatedly apologized for the over-expenditure.

Wormald did not respond to a request for comment. Masterson declined to comment until after the board convenes on May 20.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct that Randy Wormald did not serve as a teacher in the Merrimack Valley School District. It has also been updated to provide additional background on his career in education.

Jeremy Margolis can be contacted at jmargolis@cmonitor.com.