The Dallas County Board of Education approved a contract for new superintendent Hattie Shelton in a meeting Monday.

Shelton will officially make her transition from assistant superintendent to superintendent on May 1. She was offered the position for the next three years and will receive a salary of $139,000 per year. All board members voted in favor of the contract.

Shelton said she is eager for the promotion and continuing to work to advance education in the system.

“I think everyone works hard, we’re just getting ready to work a little harder. I think that I along with the board will move the system forward,” Shelton said.

She served as assistant superintendent for three years.

Now that she has been chosen as the system’s next superintendent, Shelton wants to make sure teachers are equipped for the new school term this fall.

“We want to look at our instruction and prepare for next year. As far as any training teachers feel they need, we’re going to try to get that done before the new school year starts,” Shelton said.

Another thing on her agenda is to put a strategic plan in place for the system.

Superintendent of Dallas County Schools Don Willingham will be working alongside Shelton as she prepares to follow him. He will not officially leave the system until June 30.

“She is going to do great. We have been transitioning all along anyway before the opening was posted. When she starts in May she will start doing some of the things that I do now every day on the job,” Willingham said.

He said the two month period between Shelton’s start date on May 1 and June 30 when he leaves will allow her to ask him for help with anything she may need and allow her to be more comfortable in the top role.