ROCKVILLE, Md (WDVM) – The Superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools announced Thursday he will be retiring at the end of the school year.

In a video announcement, Superintendent Jack Smith says he will be retiring effective June 1st so he can spend more time with his family.

“My two-year-old grandson had significant open heart surgery in May 2019 to reconstruct his malformed heart,” Smith’s letter read. “While the surgery was successful, my wife, Gayle, relocated to Maine to help my daughter and son-in-law care for him… I need to join Gayle in Maine as I find I can no longer tolerate living most of the time separately.”

Smith called MCPS is a strong school system with staff dedicated to providing better opportunities for students.

“While I may be leaving Montgomery County Public Schools, I know it will go forward and do very well,” he said. “There will be a part of my heart here as I go away this spring to a different obligation and a different adventure.”

MCPS says the Board of Education will name an interim superintendent “soon,” and will determine the next steps for conducting a search for the next superintendent.