Superintendent of schools Dr. Frank Harwood officially announced his retirement yesterday Monday, Oct. 3 at the Board of Education meeting. Harwood will retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year after seven years working at the district.

Harwood sent out a letter to staff reflecting on his time with the district and detailing his reasons for retirement: the Panasonic project which will create jobs in De Soto and help the district grow and the partisan political environment of Board of Education elections. Harwood decided to step aside to allow another candidate to guide the district through those issues.

Despite his retirement, Harwood looks back on his years at USD 232 fondly, saying in his letter to the staff that it has been a great place to work.

“I have greatly enjoyed my time in USD 232 and cannot imagine a better district to lead,” Harwood said. “I truly appreciate the opportunity to work with you and I know that more good things are in store for the district. I am humbled to have played a small part in what we have become.”

This is a developing story and we will continue to update readers as more details are made available.