Mars Area superintendent Gross to retire after school year
ADAMS TWP — Mark Gross’ tenure as superintendent of Mars Area School District will end on June 30, 2027, giving the district’s school board time to find a replacement.
The end of his time at Mars Area will bring Gross’ nearly 37-year-long career to a close.
In preparation for the transition, school board members unanimously approved a $14,000 agreement at an Oct. 6 work session meeting to conduct a search for a new superintendent.
Gross said his five-year contract as superintendent was originally to conclude in 2025, but was extended after the board asked him to stay two more years to guide the district through ongoing expansion projects.
With work still pending, the goal is to have a successor on board in a window of time when Gross is still with the district, he said, so that he can help facilitate the transition.
“It's bittersweet,” said Gross about retiring. “I'm excited for whoever is going to take over.”
While Gross will stay out of the selection process, he said he is looking forward to seeing the process unfold.
Gross described his time with Mars Area as a positive experience. The last three years of his first contract were great, according to Gross.
But things did not start out quite as smoothly: Gross started at the district during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continued through his second year as superintendent, which he described as stressful.
“I hit the ground running that summer and had to quickly assemble a team of folks to prepare for the beginning of the school year,” Gross said.
To deal with the pandemic lockdown, the district implemented Live-Stream Interactive, a hybrid learning model. Students still reported to school, but had the option to learn from home.
“It was not popular for a while,” he said, noting some expressed concern about staff and student health, while others were supportive of keeping the schools open. But he said the district was resilient through the pandemic, which he said reflects on Mars Area’s strong community.
Gross expects Mars Area, which he said is “growing” and “booming,” to draw accomplished candidates for his replacement.
“I cannot say enough about the district,” said Gross. “The only reason I'm leaving is I'm ready to pass the torch to someone else so I can get on to some of my personal endeavors.
“It's time to call it a career.”
