Outgoing superintendent Lesli Myers-Small posts letter on Twitter, said job was “opportunity of a lifetime”
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Outgoing Rochester City School District Superintendent Dr. Lesli Myers-Small posted a letter on Twitter Friday morning saying that serving as the superintendent has been an “opportunity of a lifetime”.
The Rochester School Board has worked on a separation agreement with Myers-Small since July and Dr. Carmine Peluso has taken the place as the superintendent since August 24.
Myers-Small served half of her four-year contract and it isn’t clear why she left.
In the letter posted on her Twitter, Myers-Small said that interim superintendent Peluso was a “sound decision and I am thankful he is willing to assist in this capacity to ensure consistency during this transition period.”
Myers-Small mentioned the challenges that both the pandemic and gun violence posed to education. She said gun violence has impacted students, families, and staff within the school district. One of the recent gun violence victims was East High School student Jaquise Davis, who was 16.
Outgoing Rochester City School District Superintendent Dr. Lesli Myers-Small posted a letter on Twitter Wednesday morning saying that serving as the superintendent has been an "opportunity of a lifetime".
“Through the significant losses and tragedies in our communities, our educators have been the heart and soul, the everyday heroes, who work to heal the hurt and create better futures for our scholars,” Myers-Small said.
Myers-Small said she will continue to support students and the district as a member of this community and believes this will be a “school year full of promise and hope.”
A statement released earlier from RCSD said that Myers-Small is on leave while the separation agreement is being finalized. The negotiations on separation started months after the Rochester Teachers Association passed a ‘no confidence’ vote in November and a harassment complaint was brought to light against Myers-Small around the same time.
News10NBC has questioned district leaders several times about why Myers-Small is leaving. We haven’t gotten an answer. RSCD has had eight superintendents, including interim ones, in the last 12 years.
Here is the full letter from Myers-Small:
