LAURINBURG —

After several years in Scotland County, Scotland High Principal Larry Obeda is leaving the district.

Obeda announced that he will be taking on the principal position at Topsail High School and will be taking over the position in July.

“I’ve loved my time here in Scotland County and this was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my professional career,” Obeda said. “I didn’t finalize my decision until last Thursday, then on Friday I told Dr. LeGrand and told my staff during a meeting so they would hear it from me first and not someone else.

“I hated having to tell my staff and my students that I was leaving,” he added.

Obeda said he hadn’t planned on leaving the district and planned on spending the next six years before retirement serving the students of Scotland County, but a teacher who had taught under him in Lumberton had told him about the position, which prompted him just to send in the resume.

“The plan my wife and I had was when I retired we’d move to the beach — this opportunity just sped up the timeline,” Obeda said. “It’s a great opportunity and I prayed a lot about it and I felt like it was the right time.”

Obeda has served as principal of Scotland High since 2019 when he took over for Brian Edkins, however, he first came to the district in August 2018 to serve as the director for auxiliary services.

“Since day one this community has welcomed me,” Obeda said. “I wish Scotland County nothing but the best and I’ll always be a Fighting Scot, I’ll just be cheering everyone on from a little way down the road.”

Obeda will serve as principal until July and will provide over graduation at Pate Stadium, which will have fireworks this year.

Before coming to Scotland County he worked for nine years in high school and district administration in Robeson County, with six of those as principal at Lumberton Senior High School. Obeda also had worked as a school counselor and testing coordinator for the Public Schools of Robeson County. In addition, he has been an instructor at Robeson Community College and served eight years in the United States Air Force.

Reach Katelin Gandee at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com. To support The Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe