Longtime public educator and current Folsom Cordova Unified School District Superintendent Deborah Bettencourt announced Wednesday that she would retire at the end of the current school year.

Bettencourt has been Superintendent since her appointment to the post in 2010, but has spent 42 years in education. As Superintendent for FCUSD, Bettencourt has overseen 32 schools, 2,000 employees and over 20,000 students during her tenure.

“The success of our district is directly attributable to talented and caring employees, school board members committed to excellence, and supportive families and communities,” Bettencourt stated in a letter to staff. “I am proud to have been allowed to serve this district and I will cherish the friendships and professional relationships developed over the years.”

Since Bettencourt took over as Superintendent, amid budget cuts and the Great Recession, FCUSD built or reopened 11 schools, created new programs such as the International Baccalaureate Programmes at Mitchell Middle and Cordova High and modernized every school district-wide with funds from nine bond measures.

Board of Education President Zak Ford said, “I thank her not only as a school board member, but also as a parent of two students in our schools. While we are saddened to see her leave our district, we are grateful for the opportunity to have served our community together.”