TIGARD, Ore. — After six years on the job, Dr. Sue Rieke Smith, the superintendent of the Tigard-Tualatin School District, announced her retirement on Friday.
The announcement came after some community members within the district have been questioning her leadership for months. It also came as a relief to parents like Janelle Thompson.
“We were excited for some changes to be made,” Thompson said.
She has two kids in the school district and she is hoping for better test scores and increased student safety, especially at the middle schools. One of her kids goes to Hazelbrook Middle School.
“They’re starting to be known as not as safe. My kids have experienced different things at these schools. It’s definitely not a great environment,” she said.
In the past year, there have been threats of bombs and shootings on campus, alleged verbal abuse among students and a video of Hazelwood students physically fighting that went viral.
The district quickly created new policies to address the violence as a group of parents petitioned to oust the superintendent.
“A lot of classroom disruption, they miss a lot of school time because of what goes on in the classroom, a lot of language, a lot of physical aggression,” Thompson said.
Smith cited student safety as one of her accomplishments outlined in her letter to the district.
In early January, the school board released a separate letter commending her “outstanding leadership, dedication and positive impact.” The board went on to say they value experiences families have when it comes to student safety and they denounce school violence, but said the superintendent’s reputation is being “slandered.” The board said they witnessed more “disrespectful, hate-driven, misogynistic comments and actions directed at the superintendent than anyone could imagine.”
“I would like to see the district focus on bringing everybody up,” Thompson said.
The superintendent’s last day will be June 30. There will be a work session on Monday night where the school board will discuss the next steps followed by time for public comment. Parents like Thompson hope to be included in the search for a new superintendent.