Just 10 months into his tenure, Rochester City School District Superintendent Terry Dade says he's looking to leave the post.

A big part of Dade's decision to leave is due to the Board of Education, and the ongoing financial issues with the school district.

“As everyone knows, this has been the toughest, most challenging year probably that the Rochester City School District has ever experienced, and unfortunately the relationship between board and superintendent has been strained at best during this tough time,” said Dade.

In less than a year, Dade has closed a $65 million budget deficit for the 2019-2020 school year, and cut programs and hundreds of positions in the district to help keep it afloat.

Dade is now faced with more possible cuts, school closures, and other tough decisions to close an $87 million budget deficit for the next school year.

"The weight of all of these decisions, all of these cuts, is really taking its toll on me physically, emotionally, and mentally, so it’s not a place I thought I’d be at this point during my tenure in RCSD, but unfortunately it’s the reality we face at this time," said Dade.

Superintendent Dade tells Spectrum News the development of his decision to leave did not happen overnight, but talks with the district started Wednesday about his departure.

“It’s not any one thing, it is really this honest feeling that I have of it’s really difficult when you’re facing challenging times to kind of feel like you’re out on an island, so when you hear things like Superintendent Dade’s plan, Superintendent Dade’s cuts, Superintendent Dade’s reductions amidst financial crisis after financial crisis, it really starts to weigh on you,” he said.

Dade said his goal in Rochester was to unite and build relationships between the Board of Education, City Council, mayor and county executive.

The superintendent said a lot of that has happened with him personally.

"We just haven’t gotten to a point where we’re all coming together and singing from the same sheet of music to move the district forward,” said Dade.

Throughout the tough time, Dade says he enjoyed his time spent in the classroom, engaging with students, teachers and staff throughout the district.

Dade said, “We have some of the most passionate, committed students, teachers, leaders, in this organization that I’ve ever seen, so there’s great hope for moving forward."

Dade says his hope is to be here until the end of June to finish up the budget process and leave things in place for a smooth transition. He also has this message for the community.

"You deserve adults who are going to come together in a unified voice to do right by you and your amazing city," said Dade.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren released the following statement regarding Dade’s potential departure:

“Today, yet again our school board and its enablers are putting their wants, and their salaries, before needs of the children they purport to serve. It is a travesty that we would lose another Superintendent, especially during the most severe fiscal crisis RCSD has faced.

Again, rather than deal with a catastrophe of their own creation, the school board has chosen to attempt to disgrace and destroy another leader that dare speak the truth. I have been steadfast in my call that our children must be put first and that the State must act to provide them the education they deserve.

It is clearer than ever that the State Chancellor of Education must act, and the influence of so-called leaders like Assemblyman Bronson must be removed, so that real leadership who will meet the needs of our children can be restored.”

Assemblyman Harry Bronson, meanwhile, released a statement Wednesday night in support of Dade staying:

“During this year’s State Public Hearing on education, I stated that sometimes the right person comes at the right time.  I strongly believe Superintendent Dade is that person and I encourage him to stay in his position to provide stable leadership during these tumultuous times; Rochester’s children can’t afford to start over with yet another Superintendent.

Political football with our children’s education is inappropriate.  Instead, we need to fight for them.  I’ve always been an advocate for our children and have been vocal about transformative change that will also restore the school district’s trust with the local community.  As a community we need to partner with the Superintendent and give him the support needed to turn RCSD around for our children –they deserve nothing less.

I successfully fought for requiring an independent monitor to provide financial and academic oversight; develop a viable financial plan in partnership with the Superintendent; and, act as a liaison between the school board and the superintendent.  The independent monitor is required to also hold public hearings on the financial plan to seek the input of parents, students and city residents.   We need to act quickly and move to appoint that monitor as soon as possible so we can put our schools back on a path to success. This matter cannot wait.”

Rochester Chamber of Commerce President Bob Duffy took to social media after the news.

“We need Terry Dade to stay and lead the Rochester City School District – He has been a terrific leader,” Duffy said in a tweet Wednesday.