NEW — 6 a.m. May 21, 2015
Merri Rieger
The Renton School District is back on the market for a new district leader.
Less than two years after she took office, Superintendent Merri Rieger announced her resignation, and the Renton School Board accepted it at its May 13 meeting.
Rieger’s resignation is effective June 30. In order to ensure a smooth transition for the interim superintendent, Rieger will step aside from the daily superintendent duties immediately, according to a statement from the district.
“I enjoyed my time in Renton and felt honored to work alongside so many talented and dedicated educators, community members, students and families,” Rieger said in a statement.
Renton School Board directors thanked Rieger for her service to the district and wished her well.
“As part of our responsibility to staff and our community, the Board has reached an amicable separation agreement with Dr. Rieger,” Board President Pam Teal said in a statement. “We all work very hard toward the same goal: to provide every student with a meaningful education.
“The School Board and the superintendent simply had differing viewpoints on achieving that shared goals. There was absolutely no impropriety. We wish Merri all the best in her pursuit of other professional opportunities and thank her for her contributions.”
Sheryl Moore, the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources, will serve as acting superintendent through June 30. Dr. Art Jarvis, formerly a superintendent in the Tacoma and Enumclaw school district, will assume the interim position July 1 and serve through the 2015-2016 school year.
The board will seek input from staff, students, parents and the community to conduct a thorough search for a permanent superintendent during next school year.
The Renton School Board chose Rieger from a pool of 12 applicants who applied for the position to fill the vacancy left by Mary Alice Heuschel in 2013. Heuschel joined Gov. Jay Inslee’s administration as chief of staff.
Rieger was the chief student achievement officer with the Kent School District before coming to Renton. Prior to that, she spent time as a high school principal in the Bremerton School District and as the dean of students and a high school teacher in the Auburn School District. She earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees at Washington State University.