Deputy superintendent at SPS sets retirement date

SBJ file photo

Carol Embree is slated to exit her post in June 2021.

Springfield Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Carol Embree set a new retirement date.

The 29-year public school veteran is scheduled to conclude her tenure at SPS on June 30, 2021, according to a news release. She originally planned to retire this year but committed to stay on for the 2020-21 academic year, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

“While retirement has been an option for several years, my deep connection to SPS and a strong commitment to serving the students and staff of this district have extended my tenure," Embree said in the release.

Embree’s change in plans now coincides with Superintendent John Jungmann’s retirement schedule. He announced in September his intention to leave the district after the 2020-21 academic year.

SPS officials credit Embree with the development of a facility master plan and engagement with a community task force that helped pave the way for passage of the $168 million Proposition S bond proposal.

"With a financier’s mind and a teacher’s heart, Carol has maintained a perfect balance of effectively using taxpayer resources and meeting student needs by achieving efficiencies in procedures and processes," Jungmann said in the release.

The SPS Board of Education soon is slated to start a search for Embree's successor.

Embree was promoted to her current role in July 2017 after starting as SPS’ chief financial officer in 2014, according to past SBJ reporting. She was a member of SBJ's 2018 class of Most Influential Women.