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UPDATE, 6:05 pm: Portland Public Schools Board Member Paul Anthony is opposing the decision to keep PPS Superintendent Carole Smith for another year, calling it "absolute nonsense."
"This is the worst possible thing," Anthony tells WW. "There's no way she can survive another year. There's no way the district can survive another year with her at the helm."
A school board meeting slated for this evening promises to be fiery.
Portland Association of Teachers president Gwen Sullivan says she was "not surprised" by the announcement but wanted "to know what happens with the internal investigation."
ORIGINAL POST, 5:11 pm: Under fire for her handling of lead hazards at Portland Public Schools, Superintendent Carole Smith today announced her decision to retire next June.
In a letter to parents Tuesday, Smith said she had always intended to serve ten years.
Smith, just shy of her ninth year at the helm of the district, has faced tough questions from critics in recent weeks after revelations that the district had found elevated levels of lead in the water at dozens of schools, but didn't tell parents or teachers.
In her letter to parents, she says the School Board has requested she stay on till through next school year.
"The board has asked me to stay through the end of my contract in June, 2017 to allow them to move forward to conduct a superintendent search at the appropriate time and set the district up for a successful and smooth transition of leadership, as well as continue our work on health and safety," she writes.
Board chair Tom Koehler said Smith had long considered retiring next year, but lead crisis was a "catalyst" for hastening the announcement of her retirement next June.
"I think in terms of where things are now, it's the best decision—good to get fresh leadership, good to have a rational, professional transition," says Koehler.
Asked why the School Board agreed to a departure timeline before seeing the results of an ongoing investigation of PPS's handling of lead in the water, Koehler left open the door for a different decision on when Smith should depart.
"I guess I would wait until the investigation happens," he says.
He adds that he intends to start a search for Smith's replacement immediately, bring in a deputy superintendent quickly to help with management, and take a fresh look at the management of the organization.
Here is the full letter from Smith:
Willamette Week