‘Work to be done’: Nampa School District superintendent submits resignation letter
Nampa School District Superintendent Paula Kellerer announced Friday she would resign from her role, a district spokesperson confirmed.
The resignation, first reported by Idaho Education News, comes just about a week after a Nampa school board member announced he would be leaving his position.
In a Feb. 4 letter addressed to the district’s board of trustees, Kellerer said it was important that the superintendent and the board align and work together for a shared vision “that puts children first.”
“Sometimes, however, values and deeply held individual beliefs are too far apart,” she wrote in a letter provided to the Idaho Statesman. “When that occurs, it creates division and prevents a district from effectively focusing on the important work of student achievement.”
Kellerer said it was an honor to serve as the district’s superintendent and hopes the new board will take time for “professional development.”
“In today’s world, school board members face a myriad of legal, policy and academic requirements that go beyond what the average person realizes or understands,” she wrote. “That complexity takes time to understand, but it is essential for district success.”
The Nampa school board will meet Saturday, when trustees are expected to accept the superintendent’s resignation, spokesperson Kathleen Tuck said in an email. The school board could also declare a vacancy on the board after the resignation of Trustee Michael Kipp, according to the meeting’s agenda.
In a Jan. 28 resignation letter, Kipp cited the toll that serving as a trustee during the pandemic had taken on him and his family, and said he was “weary” and “tired.”
“I believe I served in this role to the best of my ability and with enthusiasm. However, at some point along the way, it felt as if the arguments about a global pandemic (and even its legitimacy) had diminished our focus on student achievement,” he wrote. “That was discouraging and even demoralizing.”
The four remaining trustees include three who just assumed their roles in January after being elected to the position in November. All three new trustees have opposed mask mandates.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 6:04 PM.
