Dr. Barbara Jenkins announced her decision to retire from her position as Orange County Public Schools’ superintendent on Tuesday. Jenkins will end her tenure in December.
Jenkins has served as superintendent for more than a decade and worked in the district for 30 years. While the retirement announcement might seem tied to the recent fights over mask mandates and threats to OCPS funding, the district notes that she has been participating in their deferred retirement program since 2018.
“Through the years, it has been my honor to work with phenomenal board members, teachers, administrators and support staff who are committed to leading our students to success. Serving in this role has been a calling and a tremendous blessing,” said Superintendent Jenkins in a statement.
Over Jenkins’ tenure, she won statewide honors as Florida’s superintendent of the year once. She was also one of four finalists for the national title that year.
Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, Jenkins repeatedly defied orders from the state in order to run a safer school district. During spikes in infections, Jenkins risked hefty fines by imposing mask mandates to keep children and faculty healthy.
The district will begin the process of naming a replacement during a work session on Feb. 15.
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This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2022.