FORT WRIGHT, Ky. -- By this time next month, three top administrators from the Kenton County School District will be gone.
Superintendent Terri Cox-Cruey and Assistant Superintendent Tracy Mann submitted their resignations to retire effective April 1, district spokesperson Jess Dykes said. Deputy Superintendent Barb Martin retired March 1.
The school board approved all three retirements. Each of the three administrators had more than 30 years of experience as educators in Kentucky although not all that time was at Kenton County.
Dykes said all three were retiring because of rumors of major changes coming to the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System. By getting out now, they are able to roll the monetary value of their unused sick time into their salary and effectively get better retirement benefits should those rules change in the future.
Kentucky legislators don't currently have any bills before the House or Senate that would affect public employee pensions, including those of teachers across the state. However, Dykes said sweeping changes are on the move in Kentucky education laws, prompting the three administrators' retirement.
The Kenton County Board of Education will name an interim superintendent by March 31, Dykes said. Then the district will begin a search for a permanent replacement. The other positions will be filled after that.
The district held a news conference at 9 a.m. Thursday.
