Jamestown School Superintendent Bret Apthorpe during the Dec. 3, 2019 school board meeting.
JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Bret Apthorpe has announced he will be retiring at the end of this school year.
Apthorpe made the unexpected announcement during Tuesday night’s Jamestown School Board meeting.
Apthorpe said it was with a heavy heart that he announce his retirement, adding that he felt he needed to spend more time with his family.
“It is with much thought and deliberation that I came to this decision. While educating our youth has been my life’s primary mission for the past 30 years, there comes a time when one has to consider his own family. I have spent long hours throughout my career away from my family in pursuit of that goal,” Apthorpe said in a statement (a complete copy of which is provided below). “Despite my love for my work and for the Jamestown community, it has come time to put my family first. While I am leaving at the end of the 2020 school year, I think Jamestown’s future is bright. Initiatives that we started will far outlast my time in Jamestown allowing our students to reach their full potential. I firmly believe that the best is yet to come for the students of Jamestown Public Schools.”
Board president Paul Abbott said that he and board vice president Patrick Slagle were both made aware of the decision last month and said that while he wished Apthorpe was staying, he also understands and supports the decision.
“Dr. Apthorpe has made many improvements during his tenure and has also guided us through some challenging events. Knowing Dr. Apthorpe, I am confident he will be 100% committed to continuing to help us move closer to our goals as a district right up to his last day with us, and even beyond,” Abbott said.
Apthorpe began with the district in September 2017 and started several initiatives while at Jamestown including: launching the Success Academy, creating a district-wide elementary summer reading program, re-aligning curriculum with college and local labor requirements, and identifying long-term physical plant needs in the district.
His tenure hasn’t been without some controversy. At the start of this school year the district hired Rosemary Bradley to be the new high school principal. Bradley resigned just six months later after being the focus of criticism from both parents and teachers for failing to properly deal with student misbehavior. During a school board meeting this past December, Apthorpe said that he felt any criticism of a school administrator or perceived failing within the district ultimately rests with him.
“It ultimately stops with me, the superintendent. So if our environments are not where they need to be I expect to be held accountable for that and the opposite is true of that. I expect people to do there jobs and hold them accountable for that,” Apthorpe said during the December board meeting.
Prior to becoming Jamestown Superintendent, Apthorpe was the superintendent of schools for the Frontier Central School District in Hamburg from 2014 to 2017. He began his educational career at Southwestern Central School as a social studies teacher.
Apthorpe was contracted to be with the district until the end of the 2022-2023 school year. He was a guest last week on WRFA’s Community Matters program and during that conversation gave no indication of his pending retirement.
Meanwhile, the school board has already taken steps necessary to find a new superintendent.
“By giving us some advanced notice, Mr. Slagle and I were able to do some of the preliminary work so that when Dr. Apthorpe made his intentions public this evening, the Board of Education would be able to begin its search almost immediately. Dr. Apthorpe will continue as our superintendent until June 30 and has also expressed his willingness to help in any way during the selection and transition process including staying with us beyond June 30 to help the district until his replacement can begin,” Abbott said.
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Statement from JPS Superintendent Bret Apthorpe
It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement today from the Jamestown Public Schools, effective June 30, 2020. It is with much thought and deliberation that I came to this decision. While educating our youth has been my life’s primary mission for the past 30 years, there comes a time when one has to consider his own family. I have spent long hours throughout my career away my family in pursuit of that goal. Despite my love for my work and for the Jamestown community, it has come time to put my family first.
My tenure here in Jamestown has been one of the most enjoyable times as an educator. The Jamestown Public School district, its students, staff, parents and community have welcomed me with open arms. From the minute I accepted the job as your Superintendent, I have felt welcomed in this community. I have received positive feedback and assistance from every segment of the Jamestown community.
While I am leaving at the end of the 2020 school year, I think Jamestown’s future is bright. Initiatives that we started with the JPS Success Academy and the JPS LEAP Summer Literacy Program will far outlast my time in Jamestown. Increasing student engagement, modernizing our high school courses and physical plant will allow our students to reach their full potential. I firmly believe that the best is yet to come for the students of Jamestown Public Schools.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the dedicated members of the Jamestown Board of Education. I have enjoyed working with each and every Board member. They are true community representatives who care deeply about the future of Jamestown.
I would also like to say a special thank you to the JPS staff who made my job so much easier. I see firsthand their dedication and devotion to the children of Jamestown. I will truly miss my JPS family.
And last but certainly not least; I will miss the Jamestown children the most of all. We have the most intelligent, creative and extraordinary kids in our district. They have given me great joy and have always been my main motivation for coming to work every day.
I will continue to serve Jamestown Public Schools until the end of June. As I discussed with the Board of Education, I am willing to continue to help with the transition to a new superintendent in any way that is needed.
Thank you for allowing me to be your Superintendent. I have been very happy to be part of the Red Raider family.
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Statement from Jamestown Board of Education President Paul Abbott
A few weeks ago, Dr. Apthorpe informed Vice-President Slagle and I of his intent to step down at the end of this school year. It is with regret that we will see him retire. The Jamestown Public Schools has had an ally, leader and a champion for the children of this community. He will be sorely missed.
By giving us some advanced notice, Mr. Slagle and I were able to do some of the preliminary work so that when Dr. Apthorpe made his intentions public this evening, the Board of Education would be able to begin its search almost immediately. Dr. Apthorpe will continue as our superintendent until June 30th and has also expressed his willingness to help in any way during the selection and transition process including staying with us beyond June 30th to help the district until his replacement can begin.
We wish Dr. Apthorpe was staying, however, we understand and support his decision. Dr. Apthorpe has made many improvements during his tenure and has also guided us through some challenging events. Knowing Dr. Apthorpe, I am confident he will be 100% committed to continuing to help us move closer to our goals as a district right up to his last day with us, and even beyond.
In the weeks and months to come, District business will continue as usual, including work on the 2020-21 budget, as we all do our best to reach our district’s goals, including our most important one: ensuring that each and every one of our students is successful not only in school, but in life.
Although this may not be the scenario any of us would have drawn up, we should all view this as an opportunity and an exciting time. It is an exciting time for Dr. Apthorpe as he moves into a new, hopefully more relaxed phase of his life, but it is also an exciting time and an opportunity for Jamestown Public Schools.
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