WCCUSD Superintendent Chris Hurst announces abrupt retirement at the end of December
on September 30, 2024
Three years after taking the helm at the West Contra Costa Unified School District, Superintendent Kenneth “Chris” Hurst announced Monday that he will retire at the end of December, forcing the board of the beleaguered district to appoint an interim superintendent for the second part of the school year.
The news comes months after the board took the unprecedented move of voting not to adopt the Local Control Accountability Plan, which meant it could not approve a budget by the end of June, as required by law. The district has been in a financial tailspin, with the county appointing a consultant to help it out of a deficit. It also has been plagued by teacher vacancies. And shortly before the start of the school year, those vacancies and allegedly unsafe conditions at some of the school buildings prompted a lawsuit against the district. That was followed by the sudden closure of Stege Elementary School, which had been dealing with a host of environmental issues, including mold.
“This decision was not easy, but it is the right one for my family,” Hurst said in a video announcement to the WCCUSD community. He said he and his wife want to move closer to his mother-in-law, who is facing health challenges.
“Family and faith are at the core of who I am, and I must prioritize them at this time,” Hurst continued. “I am incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made as a district, and I know that the dedicated leadership team we’ve built will continue this work to support our students and staff.”
On Tuesday, the school board will appoint an interim superintendent to oversee operations through the end of the school year.
In a district news release, Board President Jamela Smith-Folds commended Hurst for his commitment to anti-racism, calling it his “lasting legacy.”
“While we are saddened to see him retire, we fully support his decision to prioritize his family at this time,” Smith-Folds said.
In the release, the district called Hurst instrumental in securing fiscal solvency and staffing challenges that were heightened by the pandemic, and also for developing a strategic plan and an LCAP that provides wrap-around support for all students.
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