Monroe School Board After Dupree.

 The Monroe City School board is officially under new leadership starting Tuesday night, September 1.

Interim superintendent Julian Gray is now in charge of the embattled school board.

The school board meeting was peaceful Tuesday night as board members look to move forward.

The board agreed to sign Julian Gray as its interim superintendent for $115 thousand for one year.

We weren't able to obtain the actual contract by deadline.

 But gray told NBC 10 News the contract is brief and does not include specific performance objectives.

Gray and other board members say despite its recent negative image, they are ready to move forward educating students.

"Student achievement is my number one goal at all schools. Number two would be to concentrate as much as I possibly can on these borderline schools that we have," said Interim Superintendent Julian Gray

"I heard board members refer to Mr. Gray as superintendent and that was a good feeling for me especially," said board president Brenda Shelling.

 Also on the table Tuesday night, the board decided put a freeze on all administrative hires and salary raises at its central office until further notice.

The board says it wants to take a second look at its financial situation before it moves forward spending more money.