Pueblo City Schools Superintendent Abruptly Resigns, Leaving Half of the District’s Leadership Team Vacant
The head of Pueblo City Schools resigned Wednesday, leaving behind a district embroiled in state accountability measures. With the departure of Superintendent Constance Jones, the administration of Pueblo City Schools is at half-capacity.
In a special meeting, the school board accepted a letter of resignation from Jones. District 60 Communications Director Dalton Sprouse said the board will release information about the search for a new leader, and he expects the district to move forward as planned when students return to school next month.
“We have several leaders within the district that are ready to take the lead,” Sprouse said. “We’ve got a very dedicated and passionate board of education.”
The board did not give an official reason for Jones’ sudden departure, which came at a time of high accountability for the district.
Pueblo City Schools might face state intervention if this year’s test scores are below average — this is the district’s fifth year and final year on the state’s accountability clock.
And this isn’t the only high-profile resignation the district has faced recently. Sprouse said that within the past month, the district accepted a resignation from the assistant superintendent of learning services, and a retirement notice from the chief financial officer.
The district also has vacancies in other top positions: The executive director of elementary education and federal programs, the executive director of secondary and career and secondary education, the director of curriculum and the director of technology.
Even with those vacancies, few could see Jones’ resignation coming. Sprouse said he didn’t know about her departure until Wednesday’s short meeting.
The news was so sudden that he wasn’t aware of plans to create an interim position.
“At this very moment, I don’t know of any interim positions that are in place, or even in the works,” he said. “I absolutely know that will be a priority for the remainder of the week.”
Jones resigned after two years on the job. Before she accepted the post at Pueblo City Schools, she spent 30 years in Fort Myers, Florida, as a teacher and administrator for Lee County Schools. Her most recent position in that district was executive director of elementary school development.
When she was accepted the job, her contract was $185,000. Sprouse said that number isn’t exact today, since the board has approved salary increases since then.
As the district works through the administrative turmoil, Sprouse said its main priority is the students.
“Students will always be our No. 1 priority,” Sprouse said. “We will do everything we can to move promptly, not only with this position, but with others that are open as well.”
