Galt high school district releases Superintendent Elizabeth Kaufman

GALT — Former Galt Joint Union High School District Superintendent Elizabeth Kaufman has officially been released from her employment contract, the district formally announced in a press release Friday.

She reportedly asked to be released in order to attend to personal matters stemming from the fires in the Santa Rosa area last month.

She has friends, family and property in need of her support, according to the district, and does not plan to return to the district.

In a special closed session meeting Thursday, trustees unanimously agreed to the arrangement, believing it is in the best interest of both the district and Kaufman. No other details were released.

The district did, however, reaffirm trustees’ decision

made last week to appoint Kevin Brown interim superintendent until a permanent superintendent can be hired.

Brown, who was previously named interim superintendent for the district in 2015, retired from the public school sector in June 2013 after completing 38 years in public education where he taught and coached at the middle school, high school and community college levels throughout the Sacramento area. He has also served as the deputy superintendent for educational services in the Rocklin Unified School District and 14 years as superintendent.

In addition to a rental in Elk Grove, Kaufman shares a home in Fulton with her children and their father and animals. They were evacuated in the wee morning hours of Oct. 9 because of the fires in the area. Although her home was spared, she had friends who lost everything.

Kaufman was originally hired as the district’s superintendent in August 2015 from a pool of five finalists. She was previously the assistant superintendent of educational services in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District.

The outgoing superintendent follows a long line of superintendents who have left the district after only a few years in the position.

She replaced Matthew Roberts who parted ways with the district in May 2015. He was hired when former superintendent Daisy Lee retired in 2012.

Prior to Lee, Tom Gemma served as the top administrator for about four years until he resigned from the position. His predecessor, Christine Hoffman, also resigned when she was superintendent.