A Massachusetts superintendent who reluctantly announced his departure is the latest K12 leader to add their name to the list of educators who’ve stepped down over clashes with a school board.
Swansea Public Schools Superintendent John Robidoux announced he will resign at the end of the school year because of a “difficult work environment” created by some members of the school committee, The Herald News reported.
“It’s not something that I want. I don’t want to leave Swansea. I love Swansea,” he said, according to The Herald News. Robidoux, who has led the district since 2016, noted that committee members had not provided feedback on his performance or been willing to discuss concerns, the newspaper added.
Lawsuit leads to dismissal
Superintendent John Berenato was fired last week by the Manchester Township School District in New Jersey after he was accused of offensive behavior in a lawsuit filed in October by a principal, the Asbury Park Press reported.
Berenato, who became the district’s superintendent in early 2022, was accused of “making racist, sexist and ageist comments” to the principal, who is Black and in her 50s, the newspaper added.
2 more short tenures end in resignations
Elsewhere, superintendents with a combined two years on the job announced resignations for undisclosed reasons. Ronald Gonzalez resigned from the Elmsford Union Free School District near New York City after just eight months as a full-time leader, according to Lohud.com.
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Gonzales, who was appointed Elmsford’s interim superintendent in July 2022, did not give a reason for his departure, saying only he would “pursue other leadership opportunities in order to further my work on behalf of students,” Lohud.com reported.
In Colorado, Superintendent Jill Hafey will leave the Moffat County School District on Jan. 1 after having worked there since 1998, according to the Craig Press. Hafey was elevated to superintendent in July 2022 and said in a letter to her staff that though the district is making progress, “it is time for me to pursue new challenges and opportunities in the field of education,” the Craig Press reported.
