Tara Taupier, superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District, plans to retire at the end of the school year on June 30.

Taupier, 55, has spent 23 years in the district, including the last seven as the top administrator. She will leave at the end of her latest contract, which was extended in 2022. Her salary is $302,000.

“Serving as your superintendent has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” Taupier said in a public letter on Friday. “Together, we have navigated the challenges of a global pandemic, celebrated the achievements of our students — whether in academics, athletics or the arts — and worked to foster a warm and inclusive learning environment.”

Taupier declined to elaborate on her motivation to retire at this time.

The district board will interview recruiting firms next month to help find a successor, she said. The goal is to hire the next superintendent in the spring with a start date of July 1, she said.

John Carroll, the county superintendent of schools, said he has known Taupier as a friend and colleague for years, starting when she was promoted from a teaching spot at Redwood High School to a district post. Carroll, then an assistant superintendent at the Tam Union district, was part of the hiring team.

“Everyone saw her at the time as a teacher-leader,” Carroll said. “She’s always led in a principled, values-driven manner. She’s always put the students first — and always addressed the needs of students from historically underserved communities.”

Former district trustee Karen Loebbaka, who left office this month, said she and the rest of the board were “so grateful for Tara’s years in the district.”

“She came on as superintendent when the district was in a financial mess, helped us navigate through the pandemic and led efforts to address racial injustice,” Loebbaka said. “We wish her the best in her future, whatever that may hold.”

Former trustee Leslie Harlander, who also left office this month, agreed. She worked with Taupier for nine years.

“Over the years, I’ve been impressed with Tara’s unwavering dedication to support each and every student’s success and well-being,” Harlander said. “I wish her the best and I’m grateful for her many years of service to the district.”

Taupier started with the Tam district as a history teacher in 2002. In 2012, she was promoted to a senior director post, and in 2015 she was promoted to assistant superintendent of educational services at the district office.

After former superintendent David Yoshihara resigned in June 2018, Taupier was selected to replace him. She continued with her duties as assistant superintendent until the hiring of Kimberlee Armstrong in 2020.

After Armstrong’s departure in 2021, Taupier again was handling the educational services duties in addition to her superintendent tasks until the hiring of a new assistant superintendent.

The district’s most recent success under her tenure was the Nov. 5 passage of Measure B, a $289 million facilities bond measure that will allow the district to make urgent safety repairs and to restructure facilities to accommodate code enforcement and critical student needs at the district’s five campuses.

In addition to the district’s successes, the district has been roiled in the last few years by a series of racial incidents at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.

Most recently, some parents have demanded a delay in a planned rollout in January of a “community and consciousness” class in ethnic studies. Its critics say it incorporates power manifestos from outside groups seeking to incite divisiveness.

Trustees have also raised concerns about the lack of improvement in student state test scores and in persistent student cellphone use.

The district, one of the three largest public school districts in Marin, serves about 4,600 students at five high schools: Redwood, Tamalpais, Archie Williams, San Andreas and Tamiscal. It has an annual budget of approximately $118 million.