LCPS School Board votes to accept superintendent’s resignation

LCPS Board Members Tuesday unanimously approved the resignation of Superintendent Stan Rounds.

The meeting was held behind closed doors. The board voted on a severance agreement and they accepted his resignation.

Patrick Sanchez, the Las Cruces president of the National Education Association, told ABC-7 some of his members are not happy with the direction the district is going. He believes the NEA and pressure from the community played a role in Tuesday’s meeting.

Sanchez said teachers were unhappy when three furlough days were returned to school employees in the form of annual leave. He said the district never notified bargainers of the deal, instead he says they got their information through the media.

Sanchez added the group questions Rounds’ hiring of several department heads, without any opportunity for people on the inside to apply for those positions.

He said they question his budgeting and hiring practices and they want more transparency.

Rounds has been superintendent of the Las Cruces Public School District since 2007. Board members recently voted not to extend his contract. It was set to end June 30, 2017.

Before Tuesday’s vote, ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom asked Rounds for comment, “It wouldn’t be inappropriate to comment at this time,” he said.

During the meeting, board president Maria Flores read a statement on behalf of Rounds. It states:

“Stan Rounds has tendered his resignation as Superintendent of Schools for the Las Cruces Public Schools and the Board has accepted his resignation. An Agreement has been reached which allows Mr. Rounds the ability to pursue other interests and permits the Board to pursue hiring another Superintendent. The Board and Mr. Rounds have entered into the Agreement believing it is in their respective best interests and in the best interests of the District. The Board and Mr. Rounds will be jointly seeking approval by the court and the Secretary of Education of the agreement as required by state law. The Agreement is subject to court and Secretary approval.

On behalf of the entire District, the LCPS School Board expresses its appreciation to Mr. Rounds for his efforts while serving as Superintendent of this great school district. Mr. Rounds thanks the current and past Board of Education for providing him with the opportunity to serve the Las Cruces Public Schools.”