Jefferson County Superintendent Quits Earlier Than Expected
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – Jefferson County teachers confronted their school board Saturday morning after hearing their outgoing superintendent announce that she's quitting earlier than planned.
Superintendent Dr. Cindy Stevenson is nationally honored and was supposed to leave at the end of the year, but she announced Saturday morning that she will instead be leaving at the end of the month.
After dealing with three new members of the school board elected in November she told the board at the meeting that she can't do her job anymore.
Loved by her teachers, but not trusted or respected she said, by the newly elected board members.
"I can't lead and manage because I am not trusted or respected by this board of education. Consequentially I did approach the board and say this isn't working. I can't make decisions, I can't lead and I can't move this district forward," said Stevenson.
"My issue is serving you, serving our community and most importantly our kids."
Two board members said they were blindsided by the superintendent quitting early because she found herself unable to work with the new board members.
"I just wanted to say to be part of this board that is doing this makes me sick," said board member Jill Fellman.
"Miss Dahlkamper and Miss Fellman have not been aware of what's going on with the board so the whole board is not working collaboratively," said Jefferson County Teacher Margaret Abramshe.
Abramshe is is a veteran teacher and parent of a child in the Jefferson County school system and she said she can't blame Stevenson for leaving.
"She actually put aside her ego, put aside the obvious pain that she's gone through and said this is not good for kids," said Abramshe.
The meeting broke up prematurely after angry teachers called the newly elected board members cowards.
According to School Board President Ken Witt, Stevenson approached the board's lawyer about an early release so she could start a new job earlier.
Witt said a new superintendent could be named sometime in May.
