KANNAPOLIS — One of the longest serving school board members in North Carolina history is resigning from the Kannapolis City Board of Education due to health issues, the school system said in a news release.

Millie Hall has served on the Kannapolis City Board of Education for 37 years. She was part of the district’s first-ever elected school board in 1978. Prior to 1978, county commissioners appointed school board members for Kannapolis City Schools.

In May 2014, Hall was elected to her 10th consecutive four-year term. However, due to health issues, she has submitted her letter of resignation to the board. Her resignation will take effect June 30.

“Millie Hall has been one of the most inspirational and effective leaders in our community’s history,” said Kannapolis City Board of Education Chairman Todd Adams. “She has been a tireless advocate for children, and she has been a mentor to me. All of us on the Board of Education and in Kannapolis City Schools will miss her influence and support, and we cannot thank her enough for her outstanding service.”

The Kannapolis school board will select a replacement to fill the remainder of Hall’s four-year term, which expires in June 2018.

During her career, Hall established many firsts. She was the first woman elected to the Kannapolis Board of Education and the first female to chair the board.

She was the first female president of the Kannapolis Chamber of Commerce and the first person — male or female — to serve two consecutive terms as Chamber chair.

And Hall is the first woman from Kannapolis to receive North Carolina’s highest civilian honor — the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, in 2002. It is presented to individuals who have given outstanding service to the State of North Carolina.

She also has been a civic leader. She was one of the strongest advocates for Kannapolis becoming a city in 1984.

Among the awards Hall has won for her dedication to children and the community are the Governor’s Award to Education, which she earned for outstanding contributions to education through the Chamber, and a Special Volunteer Award from former Gov. Jim Hunt for spearheading clothing and shoe closets in schools.

She has been named the North Carolina Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women of North Carolina, received the Distinguished Service Award from Easter Seals, and has been named Kannapolis Citizen of the Year by the Kannapolis Jaycees.

She has served on the boards of directors of the N.C. School Boards Association, the Kannapolis YMCA and the Cabarrus County Red Cross, and has been on the board of advisors for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

Superintendent Dr. Pam Cain, said in the news release that Hall is the true definition of a dedicated public servant.

“Millie Hall has devoted her life to making Kannapolis City Schools, our community, and North Carolina better for children. All of us will continue to feel her impact, and we owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude,” Cain said. “We will miss her support and presence on the board, and we are extremely grateful for all she has done.”

Anyone interested in filling the seat should send a letter of interest and résumé to Adams, the school board chairman. All letters of interest and résumés must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 26.

In order to be eligible to fill the seat, applicants must live within the Kannapolis City School District and be residents of Cabarrus County. Any paid employee or paid contractor of Kannapolis City Schools is not eligible to serve on the Board of Education. All applicants may be subject to background checks, and all letters of interest and résumés will be considered public records.

Applicants should mail or deliver their materials to the attention of Todd Adams at Kannapolis City Schools. The address is 100 Denver Street, Kannapolis, NC, 28083.

Applicants interested in filling the remainder of Hall’s term may visit the school system’s website for more information about the roles and responsibilities of school board members. The website is at www.kannapolis.k12.nc.us