Mayor quietly announces upcoming resignation of Prior Lake-Savage superintendent

The superintendent of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools — thrust into the national spotlight over two students' racist social media video — has resigned.

Superintendent Dr. Teri Staloch's exit was first revealed during Tuesday night's Savage City Council meeting. Toward the end of the session, Mayor Janet Williams said she had recently received an update on what the district has been doing to address the racist video, then noted she wasn't sure if she "could say the other comment or not."

After a brief hesitation, Williams continued: "The superintendent of the Prior Lake Savage School district has resigned. So that's going to be at the board meeting on Monday."

The council then moved on to a different topic.

The district has since confirmed Staloch's exit to Bring Me The News, noting she told staff about her departure Tuesday. The district also provided an email, sent to district families and community members Wednesday morning, noting her resignation will take effect on June 30. She will officially submit her letter of resignation at an upcoming board meeting.

Staloch, in the letter, explains why she's leaving.

"I have accepted a new position that will allow me to pursue a career opportunity in the private sector," her letter reads. "Although I was not actively searching for a new job, I am excited to use my skills, passion and experiences to continue to support school districts and advance educational opportunities for students in a different way."

Staloch, named superintendent of the district in 2015, became one of the key public faces during the national outcry over the racist video that emerged last November. In the clip, two Prior Lake High School students are laughing while repeatedly uttering racial slurs. They also suggest a student of color — 14-year-old Nya Sigin, who later publicly identified herself as the target — kill herself.

Her sister, Elizabeth Sigin, spoke at a school board meeting just before Thanksgiving to address racism in the district, during which multiple board members walked out more than once, before returning to end the meeting.

Staloch, the following month, confirmed publicly the student seen in the video was no longer enrolled in the district. The case was also sent to the Scott County Attorney's Office, which planned to review it for possible criminal charges.

Bring Me The News has reached out to the county attorney's office for an update.

Staloch, meanwhile, said in her letter she did not make her resignation decision "lightly," noting she has been in public education for more than three decades.

"I have had a rich and rewarding career serving students and four different school districts across all levels of E-12 education and in higher education," she wrote. "I have embraced each opportunity and each challenge. And I have loved working with amazing colleagues, students, families, and community members, like you, dedicated to improving life chances for all students so they can reach their full potential."