Jim Christensen, the head of the Douglas County School District, will resign and take a job working with at-risk students, he said in a letter to his staff Monday. His resignation takes effect Oct. 1.
“I will be joining an education team that will focus on ensuring every child has a chance to learn and graduate from high school even when facing or living in situations that point to the contrary,” he said in the letter.
“We will miss Jim’s visionary leadership,” said board president Kristine Turner. “While there is never a good time for a school district to lose a quality superintendent, we feel confident the procedures we have in place will make this transition a smooth one.”
Steve Herzog, the district’s chief operating officer, will fill Christensen’s position during the search for a replacement.
“Steve will show strong leadership and move us forward,” said Brenda Smith, president of Douglas County Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees.
Christensen informed board members of his decision during a board retreat this past weekend, said Cliff Stahl, one of the directors on the board. He broke the news to Herzog and other staffers Monday morning.
“We had heard some rumors that he was looking for a position, but truly I didn’t know,” Herzog said.
Christensen is leaving to take a job with a private company in Texas that works with at-risk students.
“I’m sorry to see him go, but he has a passion for at-risk kids. Some kids that really need his help are going to get it,” Stahl said.
Christensen earns $245,208 annually, making him the third-highest-paid superintendent in the state behind those in the Aurora and Cherry Creek school districts.
During his tenure the district, which has more than 56,000 students and more than 6,000 staff, grew from fourth to third largest in the state.
When the district’s $395 million bond and $17 million mill-levy issues failed to win voter approval last November, Christensen announced deep cuts to the budget.
The district increased class sizes, cut bus routes and staffing levels and reduced the number of credits high school students need to graduate.
The cuts upset some parents. “I think these are tough times for education and particularly tough for Douglas County with the amount of cuts that have to be made. Anytime you talk about transportation you are going to have angry parents,” Brenda Smith said.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
