Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Franklin Walker is planning to retire early next year, bringing an end to a career at the district that spanned nearly five decades.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Three school officials confirmed that Walker mentioned he planned to retire in a letter to members of the board on Friday.
Walker, several board trustees, and a district spokeswoman did not return calls for comment on Monday. Mayor Steven Fulop told HCV that this development significantly raises the stakes in tomorrow’s election.
“With the superintendent announcing he will be retiring in early 2022, the stakes for this year’s board of education election has dramatically increased as whoever is elected will play a significant role in deciding the future of the district,” he said.
Three board of education seats, all nine city council seats, and mayoral contest are all on tomorrow’s ballot.
Walker, 69, is a Ferris High School alumnus and first began teaching in the district in 1974. He briefly served as interim superintendent in 2011 and was again named interim superintendent on January 31st, 2019 after the school board fired Dr. Marcia Lyles.
10 months later, he was appointed to the post full time and that deal ran through June 2023. He earned a salary of $245,000 last year, according to public records.
His formal retirement will likely come at the end of January, though it won’t be made official until after he meets with others from the school district in the coming weeks.
