San Carlos superintendent announces retirement

“I am proud of my 28 years in education and ready for retirement,” according to a text message from Harmeier, who also worked in the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District as well as an assortment of other systems throughout the state.

School board President Neal Layton expressed his appreciation for Harmeier’s service to the San Carlos school community in a prepared statement, which acknowledged she encountered a share of hurdles during her time with the district.

“Despite those challenges, Dr. Harmeier devoted herself to the San Carlos community and performed her job with positivity, dedication and fearlessness. As a result of her work, the San Carlos School District is in a better place than before,” he said.

Harmeier has spent the better part of the year working with colleagues at the district and the school community abroad crafting a response plan to the pandemic, which has largely shuttered campuses since March.

“Dr. Harmeier has provided strong, steady and student-centered leadership in some of the most challenging times in education. She has consistently demonstrated her deep knowledge, broad experience and commitment to students,” said county Superintendent Nancy Magee in a prepared statement.

Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, Harmeier grappled with a limited budget in San Carlos which hamstrung operations and forced difficult personnel cuts. To bolster the district’s finances, Harmeier helped lead the passage of Measure N in 2020, which raised an existing parcel tax from $246 to $334 per parcel for the next eight years.

She also faced personnel issues, as teachers cast a vote of no confidence in Harmeier in 2019. Her critics questioned her leadership style and blamed the embattled school chief for a dip in morale among educators.

For his part, Layton said he plans to apply some of the lessons learned in Harmeier’s hiring when the board begins the search for her successor.

“The lesson I learned is making sure to work with the community and staff and teachers, making sure you are getting the right profile for immediate needs and long-term planning needs,” he said.

Layton said he expects the board will immediately begin plotting the path ahead. He also downplayed any concern that finding a new school chief would compound the challenges faced by officials amid the pandemic.

“I don’t think it is going to make anything more difficult,” he said.

Meanwhile, Harmeier said she looks forward to spending more time in retirement biking with her husband Brian, while advocating for alternative modes of transportation.

“It’s the right time for me and Brian,” she said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com