Kristen McNeill has returned as Washoe County School District’s interim superintendent after stepping down as superintendent only last year. Susan Enfield officially took over as superintendent in July 2022 following McNeill’s announcement of retirement, but in November said she was leaving for personal reasons and returning to Washington state.
Trustees voted unanimously to approve the interim position after board president Beth Smith brought forward McNeill as a candidate.
“Something important about Dr. McNeill is that she is not interested in this role in the long term,” Smith said. “Why that’s important is that, while we have to make sure we maintain our progress and development, again we will be looking forward to a new superintendent at some point, and it is very important we do not create any barriers for any future candidates who may want to apply for the role.”
Smith said this is important for future candidates who may want to apply, who will see that the interim superintendent will not take on a permanent role.
McNeill’s retirement pay will be paused while working for the district, meaning she will not be collecting double the pay while in the position.
The district has been plagued with a seemingly revolving door of superintendents in the last few years. McNeill became superintendent in April 2020 after the former superintendent, Traci Davis, was fired in July 2019. Davis had stepped into the spot in 2015 after her predecessor, Pedro Martinez, was also fired a year prior.
The current superintendent, Enfield, recently received glowing marks on her one-year assessment, shortly before announcing her resignation.
McNeill will officially begin as interim superintendent Dec. 13, and will receive a salary of $285,000 per year. Prior to her retirement in 2021, she worked for the district for nearly 30 years.
Trustees were overwhelmingly positive, stating that stability was critical during this interim period and McNeill is well suited due to her previous experience and her relationships within the district.
“Time is of the essence,” Trustee Diane Nicolet said. “We have a leader with a stellar record who has proven themselves both in their heart, their mind and their hard work, so I am comfortable moving forward.”
Enfield said she wanted to extend her gratitude toward McNeill for stepping out of retirement for the sake of the district.
“She has my full support,” Enfield said. “We are very fortunate you’re in a place to say yes [to the position].”
Trustee Jeff Church said that while he would have liked to see additional candidates brought forward, the overwhelming positive response from the community about McNeill informed his approval.
Enfield will continue working through February 2024, and will begin working on a transition plan with McNeill for her departure.
