On the evening of Monday Dec. 12, district superintendent Dr. Rita Raichoudhuri announced her resignation from Kalamazoo Public Schools, effective immediately. The school board voted unanimously to accept her resignation. 

The statement from the school board was released soon afterwards, stating that “Dr. Raichoudhuri’s leaving the District was a mutual decision of Dr. Raichoudhuri and the Board.”

The former superintendent served the KPS district for two years, first joining in June 2020. Prior to coming to Kalamazoo, she worked for Chicago Public Schools as an executive director of early college and career education. The board’s decision to hire her in February 2020 was unanimous. 

Following her first year as superintendent, the Board gave her a 94% rating in her first evaluation and highlighted her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to MLive, Board president Patti Scholer-Barber said, Dr. Raichoudhuri was particularly praised for her “thorough and explanatory presentations, use of data, attention to details, inclusiveness, research-drive program implementation and community school approach, as well as establishing the Equity Task Force.”

Now, as Dr. Raichoudhuri makes her exit from the district, Cindy Green will take her place as interim superintendent. Green will begin her role effectively immediately.

“Ms. Green knows the District extremely well, having worked for the District for over 40 years, 17 years during which she acted in the capacity of Assistant Superintendent,” the board said in their statement.

Green also served as Lakeview School District’s interim superintendent from November 2021 to June 2022.

“We ask that you join our staff in welcoming Ms. Green back to the District,” the school board said, “We are confident that our staff will help assure a seamless transition.”