FALL RIVER — After nearly four decades as an educator and administrator in Fall River Public Schools, Superintendent Maria Pontes is retiring.

“It’s time,” Pontes said Monday evening. “Thirty-eight years — it’s time.”

Saying she’s “still got a lot of work to do,” Pontes said her retirement will be effective June 30.

On Monday night, Pontes issued a letter to parents in the FRPS community where she thanked her colleagues in all departments for their support.

“From teachers to support staff, administrators to custodians and everyone in between, each member of our team plays a vital role in the education and development of our students. I am profoundly grateful for their unwavering commitment, resilience, and passion for the work of moving our district forward,” she wrote.

Maria Pontes: Fall River’s superintendent immigrated here for the American Dream. She got that and more.

Pontes’ history as an educator in Fall River

Pontes emigrated from the Azores to the United States in the 1960s with her family, when she was 8 years old. After initially living in Hull, the family settled in Fall River, where her parents worked in the city’s mills.

Pontes is a product of Fall River Public Schools. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University and a master’s degree in education from Fitchburg State University.

She began her educational career at St. Michael’s School, teaching elementary grade levels. She moved to Kuss Middle School, where she became the head of the humanities department. After 20 years of classroom teaching, she became vice principal at Greene Elementary School, principal at Doran Community School, principal at B.M.C. Durfee High School, and in 2020 her career took her to district-wide administration positions.

In the summer of 2021, Pontes was made interim superintendent after the departure of controversial figure Matthew Malone. A year later, the School Committee gave her the reins. In 2022, she signed a four-year contract with a base salary of $210,000 per year, with a scheduled $6,000 increase each year.

Top 50 salaries: Superintendent tops the list of Fall River school salaries. See who ranked in the top 50.

Pontes’ tenure as Fall River schools superintendent

The COVID pandemic’s aftermath has hovered over Pontes’ tenure, with the district attempting to recover from learning loss and social and emotional challenges. Pontes has also overseen the district’s expansion of its pre-kindergarten program and attempts to increase public school staff.

“Central to my tenure has been a steadfast dedication to our students and their families. Their well-being, growth, and success have always been at the forefront of my decisions and actions,” Pontes wrote in her resignation letter.

In a 2016 interview with The Herald News, Pontes spoke about the challenges she faced earlier in her childhood, and how those struggles shaped her character in ways that reverberated throughout her career.

“As a young girl, one thing I was sure of was that I wanted to be a teacher,” Pontes said at the time. “Although I had to overcome a language barrier and really was not sure how I would go to college, as my parents did not know much about the college process, I made it my goal to learn about it and go for it. I truly believe that if you want something enough and you are willing to put in the effort, it will happen.”

Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River Superintendent Maria Pontes retiring; stepping down in June