Editor’s note: This article mistook the type of assistance that the school board considered regarding future superintendents. A $500,000 stipend was never considered for the RFSD superintendent.

Roaring Fork School District Superintendent Jesús Rodríguez is expected to resign from his position, marking a significant development in the district’s leadership. 

The potential announcement is expected after the district unveiled the agenda for its upcoming board of education meeting scheduled for Wednesday, which includes an action item related to Rodríguez’ resignation agreement.

“The item shown on the agenda is exactly what it sounds like,” RFSD board president Kathryn Kuhlenberg said, indicating that Rodríguez’ departure is imminent.

Both she and District A representative Kenny Teitler have refrained from offering further comments until after the Wednesday meeting.

In the interim, Dr. Anna Cole, who was serving as the district’s chief of student and family services, will continue serving as the acting superintendent until a new interim replacement is officially named. 

The upcoming board meeting will encompass a work session addressing various agenda items, including preparations for new board member orientation, the superintendent evaluation process, and the superintendent recruitment procedure. 

The process of selecting a new superintendent may bring back memories of controversy, as Rodríguez was appointed by the current board in May of 2022 from a pool of 24 candidates. His initial five-year contract, valued at $1.1 million, was set to extend his tenure through June 2027.

In August, just before the start of his second school year as superintendent, the district announced Rodríguez’ family medical leave to support his family during the expected birth of his second child.

Cole was appointed as acting superintendent for the duration of Rodríguez’ leave, which was expected to conclude on Oct. 20. However, it remains uncertain whether he will return on the specified date or the following Monday.

The superintendent’s tenure was further marked by tension surrounding the issue of housing assistance. Garnering opposition from community members, it was revealed that Rodríguez had purchased an $840,000 home in Denver in May without informing the board or the district. Rodríguez explained that he wanted to be closer to his family as his wife anticipated the birth of their second child.

This was after the district proposed potential housing assistance for superintendents, starting with Rodríguez, which was highly criticized by district community members and parents. Rodríguez later said he would decline the offer.

Throughout the months of his leave, both current board members and the district have refrained from making public statements on Rodríguez’s status, instead opting for private executive sessions to address matters related to the superintendent’s contract.