Superintendent Christopher Smith resigned his position this week in the wake of a news report about the “toxic culture” within the K-12 system.
Smith, , submitted a letter of resignation, effective Friday, to the Cherry Creek Board of Education during a closed-door meeting Tuesday evening, according to a news release from the school board.
He publicly announced Wednesday that he had decided to retire “after thoughtful reflection and extensive conversations with my family and colleagues,” according to a .
“This decision is guided by what has always mattered most to me: students and the long-term strength of this district,” Smith wrote. “I am incredibly proud to have led a district that truly values every student and works every day to ensure opportunity, belonging and excellence for all.”
Carlye Holladay, president of the , the district’s teachers union, said she was caught off guard by Smith’s decision.
“I was surprised,” she said. “It’s unfortunate. (Smith) has been very supportive of teachers, educators and students as a superintendent.”
Smith’s resignation follows earlier this month about what it characterized as a “toxic culture” within the district. Cherry Creek employees alleged to the news station that the superintendent’s marriage to the district’s chief human resources officer, Brenda Smith, affected the work culture at the school district.
The Cherry Creek school board met with Smith in executive session Tuesday evening to discuss his job evaluation.
“The Board of Education is acutely aware of some of the issues being raised around the district administration and the tenure of Superintendent Smith. This board will be taking action,” board President Anne Egan said before Tuesday’s closed session, .
Christopher and Brenda Smith were married before either began working at the district. Brenda Smith was hired as chief human resources officer in 2019 by a previous superintendent, Cherry Creek Schools spokeswoman Ashley Verville said in an email.
After the school board hired Christopher Smith as superintendent in April 2021, Brenda Smith began reporting to Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Perry to comply with the districtap staff conduct policy, which was passed in 2018 and states that employees may not engage in a direct or indirect supervisory relationship with an immediate family member, according to a 2022 district memo.
That memo outlined procedures staff members were expected to take if any conflicts of interest arose because of the relationship between Christopher and Brenda Smith, such as directing the superintendent to involve Perry and the districtap general counsel when personnel decisions were impacted.
Brenda Smith is still employed with Cherry Creek Schools, Verville said.
Perry will serve as interim superintendent. The board will discuss during a Feb. 6 meeting the next steps for replacing the superintendent, according to the news release.
School board members will also review the district’s policies on conflicts of interest, contract review and travel, along with the district’s overall culture, during the Feb. 6 meeting, according to the news release.
“As the district enters its next phase, I believe there is an important opportunity to strengthen internal culture by deepening trust, transparency and shared accountability across all levels of this organization,” Smith wrote in the message announcing his departure. “I have full confidence in the board, the leadership team and the dedicated professionals who will continue to move this work forward.”
The Cherry Creek school board touted Christopher Smith’s leadership in the news release about his resignation, applauding him for the passage of a nearly $1 billion bond measure in 2024 and for the creation of the districtap Aspiring Educator Pathway. The educator program aims to build a pipeline of teachers by training participants inside Cherry Creek’s schools as they earn a bachelor’s degree.
Cherry Creek Schools is the fourth-largest K-12 system in the state, with 51,844 students, according to state data.
The district announced earlier this month that its class of 2025 had achieved Cherry Creek’s highest-ever on-time graduation rate at 91.6%, above the state and national averages of 85.6% and 87%, respectively.
