School District of Manatee County Superintendent Cynthia Saunders is officially announcing her intent to retire at the conclusion of her contract which occurs at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Ms. Saunders has served 34 years in public education in Florida, including the last five years as superintendent in Manatee County. Her last day as superintendent will be Friday, June 30, 2023. Sworn in as Superintendent on June 26, 2018, Ms. Saunders has earned a reputation as a change agent and educational innovator. Her career in education includes time as a math teacher, assistant principal and principal, before coming to Manatee County where she served as Executive Director of Secondary Schools (2013-2015) and Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services (2015-2018) prior to becoming Superintendent. In December 2020, Ms. Saunders was named the 2020 STAR Superintendent of the Year by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations for her strong support and dedication of the Manatee Education Foundation.