As the Rochester City School District prepares for its new superintendent to start this summer, some administrators are leaving for other opportunities.
Deputy Superintendent Ruth Turner is one of those administrators. She was named to former Superintendent Carmine Peluso’s cabinet two years ago, leaving her position on the Board of Regents to rejoin the city schools where she began her career as a social worker.
The Regents oversee the New York State Education Department. Regent Adrian Hale took on her role on the state board after she left it.
Turner is now moving on to become superintendent of Montclair school district in New Jersey. As the Rochester Board of Education approved her resignation last week, Turner said goodbye.
“I've had the pleasure of serving this district almost my entire professional life," Turner said. "I work with some great, amazing, talented folks that I'm going to miss greatly. I'm thankful for a new beginning. I wish nothing but success for the district.”
Since rejoining the district in 2023, Turner’s work included the rollout of the RocRestorative H.U.B. — which stands for healing, understanding, and belonging.
The H.U.B. was created as a future-oriented response to community violence that was affecting schools in the wake of pandemic shutdowns, Turner said in a school board meeting at the start of the 2024 school year.
In its first year, the program conducted roughly 200 mediations for more than 500 students, according to a district presentation at the time.
Interim Superintendent Demario Strickland called Turner a “steadfast warrior” who taught him the importance of addressing students’ social and emotional needs in order for students to achieve academically.
"I definitely wish her nothing but true success,” Strickland said.
Chief of Staff LaShara Evans — another member of Peluso’s cabinet — is also leaving the district to take on the role of assistant superintendent of human resources at the Penfield Central School District. The suburban district announced her new role earlier this month.
“It's heartbreaking for me that we didn't get to keep you all here to continue the great work that you were doing," School board member Beatriz LeBron-Harris said. "And I think one day we'll get to have a full conversation about how ripple — you know, choices make impacts and what that looks like at the end of the day for us.”
She added, “to the district that's getting you, you're getting a phenomenal rock star, human being, and educator that I know is going to support you during a time of need right now in this country.”
