Sanstead Announces Retirement | Video

Krisitin Clouston | 2/17/2012

Superintendent of Public Instruction Wayne Sanstead announced today he will be retiring. Sanstead is the nation`s longest serving state school chief and the second longest serving state official in the North Dakota.

He`s served 46 years in public office, 36 of those in state office and 10 years in the legislature.

"There comes a time, and I guess I decided that this could well be the time. If I took another term I`d be pushing 80 and while I`m in good health and while I`m enthusiastic I ought to be using that maybe for some more family time with my wife Mary Jane, with my grandkids, clearly that`s on the horizon," he said.

Sanstead was first elected state superintendent in 1984. He has been re-elected six times.

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