WCCUSD Superintendent Chris Hurst announces abrupt retirement at the end of December

Three years after taking over the West Contra Costa Unified School District, Superintendent Kenneth “Chris” Hurst announced Monday that he will retire at the end of December, forcing the embattled district’s board to appoint an interim superintendent for the second part of the year. the school year.

The news comes months after the board made an unprecedented decision by voting not to adopt the Local Control Accountability Plan, which meant it could not approve a budget until the end of June, as required by law. The district is in the grip of a financial crisis, with the county having appointed a consultant to help it get out of deficit. The country is also plagued by vacant teaching positions. And shortly before the start of the school year, those vacancies and allegedly unsafe conditions in some school buildings led to a lawsuit against the district. This was followed by the sudden closure of Stege Elementary School, which was struggling with a host of environmental problems, including mold.

“This decision was not easy, but it is the right decision for my family,” Hurst said in a video announcement to the WCCUSD community. He said he and his wife wanted to be closer to his mother-in-law, who is facing health issues.

“Family and faith are at the core of who I am, and I have to prioritize them right now,” Hurst continued. “I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made as a district and know that the dedicated leadership team we have built will continue this work to support our students and staff.”

On Tuesday, the school board will appoint an interim superintendent to oversee operations until the end of the school year.

In a district press release, board President Jamela Smith-Folds praised Hurse for his commitment to fighting racism, calling it “his lasting legacy.”

“While we are saddened to see him retire, we fully support his decision to put his family first at this time,” Smith-Folds said.

In the release, the district called Hurst instrumental in ensuring fiscal solvency and personnel issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, as well as developing a strategic plan and LCAP that provides comprehensive support for all students .

Q&A: West Contra Costa’s new schools superintendent discusses bias in teaching, returning to the classroom and other topics