Greece Schools Superintendent Kathleen Graupman will retire at the end of 2024, the district announced Wednesday, and will be replaced by Deputy Superintendent Jeremy Smalline.

Graupman has led Greece since 2015, making her one of the longest tenured superintendents in Monroe County. Before that she was an administrator in Greece for more than a decade and also graduated from Greece Arcadia High School.

Her retirement is effective Jan. 1, 2025.

“It has been a calling,” she said at a school board member Tuesday. “It’s really been life’s work.”

Graupman became prominent during COVID-19 as president of the Monroe County Council of School Superintendents. She served as the face of local schools’ response to the pandemic during a politically fraught time.

She introduced community schools, expanded culturally responsive and social-emotional learning practices and secured funding for full-day kindergarten, among other things.

“From day one, Kathy has made it known that relationships matter and made it her mission to ensure every member of our school community felt seen, heard and valued,” Greece School Board President Sean McCabe said in a statement. “By amplifying the voices of students and families, Kathy has not only fostered a sense of inclusion and empowerment, she ensured that our educational policies truly reflect the needs of our community.”

Graupman and McCabe revealed Tuesday that Smalline’s ascension has been planned for at least a year since he was promoted to the new job of deputy superintendent. Before that he has spent nearly 20 years in district administration, including as principal as Longridge Elementary School.

“I am passionate about this district and eagerly anticipate collaborating with our strong Board of Education, our outstanding leadership team, our talented teachers and staff, and our incredible students and families as we continue to move Greece Central forward,” Smalline said in a statement.

With about 10,000 students across 18 schools and an annual operating budget of more than $300 million, Greece is New York’s 12th largest school district.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Greece Superintendent Kathleen Graupman to retire; successor appointed