The Marion County Public Schools Superintendent has announced that she will resign at the end of the current school year.
Dr. Diane Gullett made the announcement to her staff in an email sent out on Monday evening.
“I am writing to let you know I will be leaving the district after the current school year. It has been a true honor to work with you and I have been humbled and blessed to serve our students together,” said Gullett in her email.
Gullett gave no additional explanation or reasoning behind her decision, simply closing her email with thanks.
“Thank you for your support, your hard work, and your dedication to the success of our students,” said Gullett in the email. “With your collective efforts, I am certain our students will continue to thrive in the future.”
The Marion County School Board next meets on Tuesday evening, where Gullett will likely take her normal spot on the panel until year’s end.
Last year, Gullett was one of four finalists to become the Magnet Schools of America Superintendent of the Year. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Florida, and an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from the University of Florida.
Gullett spent nearly two decades serving Orange County Public Schools as an elementary school dean and principal, before rising through the ranks to become area superintendent.
In 2018, she moved to Nevada to work for Clark County Schools, the fifth-largest district in the nation with 323,000 students and over 42,000 employees. At the time, she was second in command.
In 2018, Marion County residents voted to approve a measure directing school board members to appoint future superintendents.
Gullett was appointed superintendent over 46 other candidates in the Spring of 2020, becoming the first-ever appointed superintendent in Marion County Public Schools’ 151-year history.
The Marion County School Board next meets on Tuesday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m.