BONNER COUNTY, Idaho — After a short three months in his controversially-appointed role, the West Bonner School District (WBSD) superintendent announced his resignation on Monday.
In a letter posted via Twitter, Branden Durst said he wants "an amicable and fair exit" from his role as superintendent. In the letter, Durst said he was given "relentless obstacles" by people who wanted to see him fail but said he is proud of his work during his three-month tenure.
The news comes after a weeks-long back and forth between Durst, the Idaho Department of Education (IDE) and WBSD regarding Durst's qualification for the job. Durst said he persevered despite obstacles thrown his way and achieved milestones he wants to see in the district in the future.
"Throughout my short tenure, I remained cognizant of the fact that not everyone in the community welcomed my hiring," Durst wrote. "I was undeterred by the naysayers and their negativity only strengthened my resolve to do what needed to be done to put this district on a path towards success."
Durst highlighted his achievements during his time with the district, including hiring more than 30 new staff members, restructuring the district office and implementing the district's five-year plan. However, it is important to note that 37 staff members quit following Durst's appointment.
Durst's last day with the district will be decided by the school board, but until that time, he said he plans to work to make sure the transition is smooth.
"It may not be fair, but life rarely is," he wrote. "I want to express my deep gratitude to those who entrusted me to serve as Superintendent and those in the community who gave me the benefit of the doubt."
The WBSD board is set to have its next meeting on Wednesday.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: Search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
Apple TV: Search "Spokane News from KREM" in the Apple store or follow this link.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com.