Seattle Schools Superintendent To Leave Post In 2021

SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau will step down when her contract ends in June, after three years at the helm of the district. Juneau announced her decision to not seek a new contract in a statement published Tuesday afternoon.

As The Seattle Times reported, Seattle School Board president Chandra Hampson said Monday she would not support renewing Juneau's contract and did not believe the superintendent had the votes needed to stay.

In Juneau's announcement, she called her time at Seattle Public Schools the "greatest honor of my professional journey."

She continues:

"I have embraced the many challenges inherent in leading our school district, and we have made significant progress on many fronts. I came here with a dream to drive a powerful anti-racist agenda for Seattle’s school leaders, educators, parents, and students, and I worked aggressively to build a bold strategic plan focused on a better, fairer system for students of color furthest from educational justice. I’m especially proud of how, together, we have changed our system and structures to better serve African American boys and teens through the Office of African American Male Achievement."

In October, the regional chapter of the NAACP called on Seattle Public Schools to terminate Juneau's contract for failing to address racism and other misconduct in the district or to implement meaningful changes in response to specific community demands. The superintendent later said she was surprised by the move and remained committed to working through the issues.

In her Tuesday announcement, Juneau said moving forward, especially in light of the pandemic, would require consensus and leadership with a united voice.

"Now, there has never been a more important time for unity and healing," Juneau wrote. "For progress to continue in Seattle, the full-throated support of a united school board is essential. This school board must choose a superintendent with whom they can co-lead and move forward together."

Juneau's contract expires at the end of June 2021.