Maize superintendent Doug Powers to resign effective June 30

Doug Powers, superintendent of Maize schools, plans to resign his position effective June 30, district officials announced Thursday.

According to the e-mail announcement, Powers, who joined the Maize district in 2009, “plans to continue his career in Kansas public education in a leadership position in another district.”

The Maize school board will consider Powers’ resignation during its next regular meeting Monday, the e-mail said.

Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Powers, 46, would not offer details about his new job.

“I’m not saying yet. I’m going to let them do that announcement,” he said.

“I’m at that point of my life, personally and professionally, where I’ve got an opportunity to make a change, and I’m ready to make that change,” he said.

“I’ve just made some decisions that life is much too short to not take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you, so I’m going to do that.”

Maize school board members unanimously selected Powers in 2009 to lead their rapidly expanding district.

Powers, who grew up in El Dorado and was superintendent of Marysville schools, told an Eagle reporter at the time that moving to Maize would be “kind of like coming home.”

One of his first challenges was to shepherd the opening of Maize’s second high school in 2009.

Maize, a district of about 7,000 students, includes much of west Wichita. Recently the district has been grappling with several major issues, including whether to establish attendance boundaries or a feeder system for assigning students to schools.

In November, FBI officials executed a search warrant at Maize school district headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation.

Last month, the Maize board voted unanimously to terminate the district’s technology director, Ramon Mosate, who had been on administrative leave since the day of the FBI search. Powers has not said why Mosate was fired, and he would neither confirm nor deny that the termination was related to the federal investigation.

The Maize school board also is considering a $75 million bond issue to expand and upgrade schools and athletic facilities. Board members could decide Monday whether to send the bond issue to voters this summer.

About a year ago, Powers was a finalist for superintendent of schools in Fayetteville, Ark. Shortly after that, he was on medical leave for several weeks while he recuperated from surgery to address coronary blockages.

According to the e-mail Thursday from board clerk Robin Brown, Powers said he has enjoyed his time at Maize schools.

“Work on student placement, facilities needs and other initiatives … will continue under his leadership through June and under his fellow administrators and ultimately Maize’s new superintendent,” the e-mail said.

This story was originally published March 5, 2015 at 11:55 AM with the headline "Maize superintendent Doug Powers to resign effective June 30."