The Northfield Board of Education accepted Superintendent Chris Richardson’s retirement letter at its meeting on February 22. Click here to read Richardson’s letter. Superintendent Richardson has been an educator for 46 years, 35 of those as a Superintendent. In his email message to staff, he writes, “My last twelve years in Northfield have been incredibly fulfilling serving all of you and this outstanding community. While I have been blessed to be a part of many exciting programs and initiatives that are doing great things for kids, I have been most blessed to have been working with all of you. Our staff is the best I have worked with in my career and I am truly thankful for what each of you has done for our students. Northfield has high expectations of its schools and you help us meet and exceed those expectations every single day. I am looking forward to a great finish to this school year and know that the District is positioned to continue our tradition of excellence as we move forward.”

“With a heavy heart” School Board Chair Julie Pritchard acknowledged Dr. Richardson’s retirement effective June 30. “While I know that in the coming months we will have more opportunities to celebrate his accomplishments, I think it is important tonight to highlight some of his most significant contributions over the past 12 years.” Pritchard concluded her remarks with the following: “It is clear that Dr. Richardson has significantly impacted our District during his tenure in Northfield. We are profoundly grateful for all that he has done, but most importantly, we are grateful for the opportunity we have had to work with such an amazing leader who has always put the best interest of students first. His passion, dedication and commitment to ensuring every student is successful have been the hallmark of his administration. We, however, need to fully acknowledge that the time has come for him to enjoy the next chapter of his life.”

The School Board formed a subcommittee that will develop a process for the search of a new superintendent. The subcommittee will present its report at the next School Board meeting, which is March 14 at 7 PM in the Northfield High School Media Center.