The director of the Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence has resigned.

Chris Dinkins will step down when his contract expires June 30.

Dinkins' resignation was approved during a Dec. 19 ACE board meeting conducted by conference call.

ACE board chair Earl Campbell said the resignation was not expected.

"I don't know about the rest of the board members, but I think that he could do a good job, and he was doing a good job," Campbell said.

In his resignation letter, Dinkins said he believes ACE will "garner greater support if it has a director that both feeder districts believe in. Such is not the present case."

Last school year both the Beaufort and Jasper County school districts, which jointly oversee ACE, looked into financial and personnel issues at the school, prompted by employees' concerns.

Dinkins was reprimanded last May and ordered to participate in an improvement plan, along with assistant director Karen Lee, who resigned in September. An interim assistant director is in place, Campbell said.

Campbell said the board expects to select a replacement for Dinkins in May or June.

Follow reporter Rachel Heaton at twitter.com/HomeroomBft.

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• Academy for Career Excellence board fires one employee, reprimands two leaders; May 19, 2011
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• SLED asked to investigate 'possible financial irregularities' at ACE; April 21, 2011
• School officials to investigate 'financial and personnel matters' at career academy; April 6, 2011