LYNN — After nearly a decade at the helm, Dr. Catherine C. Latham plans to retire as superintendent of schools next summer.
“It’s the right time for me and my family,” she said.
Latham, 72, said she made the decision six months before her contract expires to give Mayor-elect Thomas M. McGee, who also serves as School Committee chairman, and the committee, which will include two new members, time to conduct a search for a replacement.
School Committeeman John Ford was surprised by the news and said her departure will be a big loss for the district.
“I got along with her very well and she did a great job,” he said. “With 16,000 kids, it’s a tough job and a big job with the Department of Education constantly on you. I would give her high marks.”
Ford praised Latham’s work habits and said she arrived at the office early, worked late, and routinely attended events at schools and evening meetings.
Latham’s salary is $239,348.
On the job since 2009, Latham more than doubled the average tenure of superintendents, which is 3.6 years, according to the most recent data (2010) from Council of the Great City Schools.
School Committeeman Jared Nicholson thanked the career educator for her commitment to Lynn’s school children.
“I appreciate her service and congratulate her on the retirement,” he said. “It’s an important moment for the district and the transition and I take that very seriously.”
Brian Castellanos, School Committeeman-elect, said Latham has dedicated herself to Lynn schools.
“She worked very hard and has been an asset to Lynn,” he said “It will be a tough job to fill given that urban school districts face many issues.”
But her departure is an opportunity to conduct a nationwide search, he said.
“It’s a important job in the city and I look forward to organizing a search committee,” Castellanos said.
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said Latham has been successful in realizing her vision for Lynn’s students.
“Her retirement will be a great loss for our community,” she said. “But I’m glad after decades of devotion to our city, she’ll have plenty of time to enjoy her other interests, and her family, including her new grandchildren.”
McGee did not respond to a request for comment.
A lifelong Lynn resident, Latham is a graduate of Lynn English High and Salem State College. She earned her master’s degree at Salem State and a doctorate in education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She was a recipient of the Milken Family Foundation Educator Award for excellence in education.
Latham said she is most proud of building the Thurgood Marshall Middle School, which opened last year and has been designated a model school by the Massachusetts School Building Authority; higher MCAS scores; and improvements to the district’s academic and fine arts programs.
One of the saddest moments of being superintendent, she said, came last spring when voters overwhelmingly rejected construction of two middle schools.
“I was heartbroken,” she said. “But plans for those buildings are ready to be implemented should the city decide to move forward on a school-building project.”
The new superintendent, Latham said, will face a handful of challenges, including finding space for the district’s growing population, the condition of the older school buildings, and keeping the momentum going on reducing the achievement gap.
She began her career as a math teacher at Peabody High School. Latham later taught math at Breed Middle School and Lynn English for more than 20 years. She served as math department chair at English before joining the administration. Prior to being named superintendent, she served as deputy under former superintendent Nicholas P. Kostan.
But her best memories, she said, were meeting children in classrooms.
