Schools
School Superintendent Stepping Down
Richard Whitmore will continue working through the school year.
LAMORINDA, CA — Lafayette School District Superintendent Richard Whitmore will step down from the role he's held since 2018 when his contract ends in June.
"After reflection about the state of the district and conversations with my family and friends, I have notified the governing board that I will not seek to extend my contract beyond its current end date of June 2022," Whitmore said in an email to parents.
"An important factor in the timing of my decision has been my confidence in the team that is leading the district, and in our school-based teams who provide daily instruction to your children. We have weathered the worst of the pandemic, established important strategic goals to best serve our students in these challenging times and built a deep understanding of best practices in curriculum, social and emotional learning, behavioral support, and school cultures and climates into our teams.
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"I am confident that the district can stay on a path of continuous improvement that supports the excellence parents have come to expect from our schools," he said.
Before becoming superintendent, Whitmore — also a parent in the community — was a member of the Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board and a local school volunteer.
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"I arrived in the superintendent's chair in the summer of 2018, after many years in the community as a parent, a Governing Board member at the Acalanes Union High School District, and an active volunteer through LPIE (at that time, LASF) and our classrooms," Whitmore wrote.
"I knew the Lafayette School District to have high standards for staff and students alike and entered into the work with much excitement. The time has passed quickly, for many good reasons and with some obvious challenges."
Whitmore said parents can expect to hear from governing board president Rob Sturm regarding timelines and processes for a superintendent search. He said there will be a state of the district town hall meeting in January.
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