Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Chief of Staff Chasity Dolan is retiring, making her the sixth senior leader to leave the district since the school board fired Superintendent Crystal Hill on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Dolan's last day of work will be Friday, Nov. 6, with her retirement effective Dec. 1, WFAE first reported. She did not offer a reason for her departure in a statement to staff.

Former Chief of Staff Ingrid Medlock will return to the position and begin working with Dolan on the transition starting Sept. 29, according to the district.

CMS assistant communications officer Tom Miner said in a statement that Medlock's return shows the district has experienced leaders committed to moving its work forward during the recent leadership changes.

Five departures preceded Dolan's

The five previously announced exits include Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight, Chief Financial Officer Kelly Kluttz, Chief Operations Officer Tim Ivey and Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Tangela Williams, QC News reported. All four plan to retire Jan. 1, 2027. Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Wood resigned Sept. 14.

Balknight was named acting superintendent after the board voted 5-4 on Sept. 22 to terminate Hill "for convenience," a classification that triggered a payout of Hill's full annual salary of $340,770, according to QCity Metro. As we reported Sept. 28, the firing also raised questions under North Carolina's whistleblower protection law.

The departures do not include cabinet member Stephen Esposito, the district's chief of strategic communications and engagement, who was arrested Thursday, Sept. 24, and charged with driving while impaired, according to WBTV. A breath test registered a 0.11 blood-alcohol content, above the state's 0.08 legal limit.

The leadership exits come as the board voted 6-2 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to create a five-member committee to oversee the search for Hill's replacement, the Charlotte Observer reported. Board Chair Dee Rankin will appoint four members and serve as a voting member herself. The committee's meetings can be held in closed session under state law, and the panel will dissolve once the board approves a superintendent contract.

No search timeline has been set. The board said one would be developed "as quickly as possible" and that it plans to seek input from staff, students, families and the broader community.

Not every board member was satisfied with the process. Board member Charlitta Hatch, who voted against creating the committee, said at the Sept. 29 meeting: "I cannot support just approving this committee without us as a board acknowledging collectively that we have work to do and how and where that work gets done."

CMS serves more than 139,000 students across the district, including those at Ardrey Kell and Ballantyne Ridge high schools. The board has not announced a date for the search committee's first meeting.