By John Dobberstein, Editor
Union Public Schools Supt. Kirt Hartzler announced Monday that he would be retiring from the district this year after serving in that role for more than a decade. His retirement will be effective June 30.
In a letter to Union employees, Hartzler said he’s had the opportunity to live out a “professional dream” in the job. “I have been blessed to work with incredible teachers, coaches, staff, administrators and board members who allowed us to be innovative and transformative in our continuous school improvement efforts,” he wrote.
“The many state and national recognitions we have garnered is indeed a testament to our work, and I know we will continue to build on what we have created.”
Last May, Hartzler was named OASA Oklahoma State Superintendent of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators (OASA) and was recognized this month at the national AASA School Superintendents Association conference in San Diego.
In a statement Monday, the district listed a number of achievement while being run by Hartzler, including high school math teacher Rebecka Peterson’s National Teacher of the Year honors, the district being recognized by the New York Times as one that “shows what can be achieved when a public school system takes the time to invest in a culture of high expectations, recruit top-flight professionals, and develop ties between schools and the community.”
UPS in 2017 piloted one of the first early college high school programs in Oklahoma in partnership with Tulsa Community College, opened Ellen Ochoa Elementary as a “Community School Village” in 2017.
In 2014, Hartzler was recognized as a ConnectED Future-Ready Superintendent by the U.S. Department of Education and the White House. District Superintendents that sign the Future Ready District Pledge commit to foster and lead a culture of digital learning in their district and to share what they have learned with other districts.
“Serving as your superintendent for the past 11 years has been an uncommon privilege, and it is something that I will treasure forever,” Hartzler wrote.
“I cannot overstate my gratitude to all the current and former colleagues and board members who have been with us on this journey. I believe we have accomplished remarkable things together in our never-ending mission of ‘100 percent graduation, college and career ready.’ Our journey to this goal has not been easy, but accomplishing great and worthwhile things never is. Our brightest days are yet to come.”
Hartzler said that he and Union’s Board of Education have been working on a transition for the past two years and the plan will be announced soon.
Union Public Schools has been Hartzler’s home for 34 years, serving as deputy superintendent, associate superintendent, assistant superintendent and director of secondary education.
He got his start as a social science instructor and coach at Union in 1986. Outside of a 3-year stint at Bixby Public Schools, most of his education career has been at Union. Hartzler has also taught future educators, having served as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma’s College of Education.
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