Marty Kobza

Eudora school Superintendent Marty Kobza announced Friday he was leaving the district to accept a similar position in Hot Springs County, Wyo.

“While I know this may come as a surprise to many of the people who work here, it is an opportunity for me and my family to pursue new goals that are very important to us,” the 40-year-old Kobza said in a written statement released by the district.

Kobza, who has been with the Eudora district for 14 years, was promoted to superintendent in 2001, when he was principal of Eudora High School.

Kobza’s time as superintendent coincided with a time of rapid growth in Eudora. To handle increased enrollment, Kobza oversaw the passage to two bond issues. The first built a new Eudora High School south of Kansas Highway 10. The second was $45 million bond issue passed last November, which included a new 1,000-student first- through fifth-grade elementary school scheduled to open in fall 2009; conversion of West Elementary to a pre-school and kindergarten center; additions to the middle school and high school; a technical education center; and a stadium.

Eudora school board president Kenny Massey released a statement Friday morning saying that a board meeting to start discussions about Kobza’s successor could be scheduled for as soon as soon this weekend.