Less than a week after his unpopular proposal to merge two distinct school programs and close Roxhill Elementary was voted down by the Seattle School Board, superintendent Raj Manhas announced he'd step down next summer as the district's leader.

"I believe I have fulfilled my responsibilities as superintendent and have accomplished much during my tenure..." said Manhas at a press conference last week. "The work I intended to do has been done."

Manhas said the decision was personal and was not a result of being forced out. Instead, Manhas said he is leaving in the interest of his family.

"I am feeling it is time for me to move one," he said. "For my family and for myself... I want to move on."

The district chief is in the final year of his three-year contract.

The superintendent cited improved scores on this year's Washington Assessment of Student Learning and an anticipated district reserve of more than $20 million as examples of his accomplishments as superintendent. He also said the cost savings associated from closing of seven school buildings and switching Franklin and Ballard high schools from yellow bus service to Metro bus service will help the district address its multi million dollar budget deficit.

The announcement came in the middle of a contentious, now abandoned, second round of school closures and days after a raucous School Board meeting where Manhas and board members endured hours of verbal, sometimes racially charged criticism from community members.

Ultimately, the board voted to reject the superintendent's proposal, which included merging West Seattle's alternative Pathfinder K-8 program with the more conventional Cooper school. Both school communities actively protested the merger.

Another district employee, director of public affairs Peter Daniels, left Seattle Schools last week after announcing his resignation the week prior. Daniels said recent events surrounding school board meetings or school closures did not effect his decision to leave the district.

Manhas, whose background is in banking and engineering-not education--joined the district in October 2001 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed Interim Superintendent in June 2003 after Joseph Olchefske resigned. Later that year, after a wide scale search came up empty, Manhas was given the permanent position.

Co-president of the Pathfinder Parent Teacher Association, Lynette Martin, said she wasn't surprised to hear of Manhas' resignation.

"I think it would have been hard for anyone to survive closures," said Martin. "It's such a negative process on the community. It's time to put our energy into getting an educator in the position and start cheering the good things that are happening."

Martin said the district needs someone with new ideas to solve its financial and academic problems and fresh ways to implement those ideas.

After Manhas announced his impending resignation, School Board Vice President Cheryl Chow was visibly upset by the news.

"My heart was ripped out," said Chow. "I think it's been on his mind for a while. I wouldn't say he's being forced out. Raj has been a great leader. He's worked hard but there is only so much one person can do."

Board members Michael DeBell and Chow said the superintendent's decision to leave would likely prolong further action regarding school consolidation.

"The board has to get their act together," said Chow. "I think we've hit a low that I've never seen before."

"The consolidation process is very difficult and requires that the school board and the superintendent work together as a team," said DeBell. DeBell called Manhas a "great leader" and said many of the district's challenges have been "well orchestrated" by the superintendent.

"I'm sad to see him go," he said.

Sherry Carr, president of the Seattle Council of Parent Teacher and Student Associations, said she was "very disappointed" to hear of Manhas' decision to step down, but that recent events probably had an effect on his resignation.

"It would be hard to look at what happened (Oct. 18 School Board meeting) and not consider that one of the last straws," said Carr. "But I'm sure that was not the only thing."

Though the council supports the district's efforts to close schools, Carr said the School Board needs to regain "functional and operational control" before the consolidation process can continue.

Manhas insisted he would not let his decision to leave the district effect his last months as superintendent.

"I will continue to work hard until the last day I am here," he said. " I wouldn't like myself if I don't do that. I come here with total commitment-total-to do the right thing for every child."

By announcing his resignation now, Manhas said the district would have more time to seek an appropriate replacement.

"I have enjoyed every moment in this school system," Manhas said. "It's that passion for public education that sustains you. The rest of the stuff is secondary, I believe."