KCK interim superintendent resigns abruptly; school board taps runner-up to fill in

The interim superintendent for the Kansas City, Kansas school district resigned Friday, after less than a month leading the district and a matter of days before incoming superintendent Charles Foust begins his tenure.

And until Foust arrives, an administrator who lost out on the job will fill in.

The School Board accepted Julie Ford’s resignation Friday, effective immediately.

“I would like to say that I’m very disappointed that it had to come to this,” board member Stacy Yeager said in a conference call meeting.

Board members approved Assistant Superintendent Jayson Strickland, who was a finalist for the superintendent position, as acting superintendent.

A district spokeswoman said Foust, the former chief school performance officer for Union County Public Schools in North Carolina, is completing his move and is expected to start in early August.

School Board President Valdenia Winn told The Star that Foust will move to Kansas City, Kansas.

Foust was chosen over Strickland in June to succeed former Superintendent Cindy Lane. Lane retired this year after 8 years as superintendent.

The 5-2 decision was seen as controversial by some who thought Strickland, who has spent his 30-year career in Kansas City, Kansas, was better suited to lead the district. Board members Brenda Jones and Janey Humphries voted against Foust.

Ford, who is the former superintendent of Topeka schools, announced her resignation Thursday after serving since July 1.

“I have met with some of the most talented and kind staff in the month of July and it has been a pleasure to work with them,” Ford said in a letter to the board. “I look forward to re-entering the peaceful world of retirement where I can focus on my grandchildren, children and husband.”

Ford, who did not attend Friday’s meeting, did not elaborate in her letter on what prompted her abrupt resignation.

Winn said she learned of Ford’s intention to resign on Wednesday during a conversation in which Ford said she was not pleased that Winn had copied the district attorney on emails requests for district statistics and budget information regarding teachers.

“We were very disappointed but we wish her the best,” Winn said.

Winn said that Tuesday was Ford’s planned last day.

In the board meeting, she encouraged the public to ask questions of board members about their decisions.

She told The Star that she is aware of an “undercurrent of negativity” in the district from those who have opposed the board.

“We’re taking a holistic approach...we’re not just randomly striking people and that’s what the chatter suggests,” Winn said. “I take it as people don’t understand that to solve problems you have to understand the complexity of the organization. That’s all we’re trying to do here.”

This story was originally published July 27, 2018 at 1:54 PM.