By Samantha Joseph
Staff Writer
MARTIN COUNTY -- Days before she ended her term as Martin County's superintendent of schools, Nancy Kline said she was proud of the student achievement and success in the district.
Ms. Kline left office Nov. 20, having served four years as superintendent. Before that, she represented District 4 on the Martin County school board.
One of her final official acts was to oversee the release of the "State of the District" report, a 45-page document with school profiles, exam scores, educational technology, school safety, transportation, finance, employee benefits, major initiatives, risk management strategies and other details.
"This is just a really snapshot of the last four years," Ms. Kline said. "I'm proud of the district's many accomplishments."
Among the highlights were the district's "A" rating from the Florida Department of Education and its high rankings across the state for writing, reading and overall scores in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test or FCAT.
In 2011-12, for instance, Martin County's eighth- grade writing scores ranked first in Florida, for the second year in a row.
The district also got a nod of approval from the state for its financial management. The Government Finance Officers Association awarded the local finance department the prestigious certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting from for fiscal years 2006 through 2011.
But Ms. Kline's tenure has also been marred by bitter political rivalry that often played out in the media.
Last August, longtime school board member Laurie Gaylord won the race for superintendent during the Republican primary.
Ms. Gaylord, who served on the school board for 10 years and represented District 3, won 62 percent of the vote.
She was not available for comment by press time.
Ms. Kline, meanwhile, said she hoped to see continued collaboration between the district and community.
"The 'State of the District' report is intended to highlight some of the major accomplishments and initiatives of the district over the past four years. I am extremely proud of our teachers, administrators and staff for their unwavering dedication and commitment to our students. I extend my best wishes to the new superintendent and school board and look forward to the continued success of our students and schools," she said in a statement.
As for her plans now that she's left office, Ms. Kline said, "I worked with children and families for last 20 years. I hope to continue to do just that."