The upper echelon of administration at Tucson’s largest school district is experiencing high turnover as it faces filling the vacancies of a chief human resources officer, a permanent superintendent and, now, a deputy superintendent.
Karen Kopec, who served as deputy superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District since July, will resign effective June 30.
“My husband and I plan to go back to Austin, Texas, and spend quality time with our 14 grandchildren,” she said in an email.
Kopec had come to TUSD to work with H.T. Sanchez, who resigned on Feb. 28 following weeks of uncertainty about his future with the district. However, the reason for her resignation is not related to his departure, said Stefanie Boe, a district spokeswoman.
Kopec joins Anna Maiden, chief human resources officer, and Chief Financial Officer Karla Soto in resigning from TUSD in recent months.
Maiden's departure is directly related Sanchez's resignation. Soto, however, will return to the district through an outsourcing firm.
Two other senior administrators — General Counsel Todd Jaeger and Assistant Superintendent Abel Morado — are finalists for superintendent at Amphitheater Public Schools district.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Trujillo, an assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, was named TUSD’s interim leader at last week’s board meeting. He is being paid a prorated salary of $200,000 to finish out the school year, which ends on June 30.
The high turnover in top administration is to be expected when a superintendent leaves, said Mark Stegeman, a board member who sought to oust Sanchez. For example, when former superintendent John Pedicone left, many of his cabinet members left.
“I think that if TUSD develops a leadership culture that produces a stronger bench, so to speak, then there might be less of that,” Stegeman said.
As for seeking a replacement for Kopec, Stegeman said he would not personally want to fill that position.
“We need to reduce administrative positions,” he said.
