Portsmouth school committee chair Cynthia Perrotti announced at last night's meeting that she is resigning, effective May 15, according to a summary posted on the school department web site:

In a very thoughtful and heartfelt speech, Mrs. Perrotti shared with her fellow School Committee members and members of the community her intentions to resign from the School Committee effective May 15, 2012, for personal reasons. In her remarks, she expressed her appreciation to School Committee members, administrators, staff, and the community for their work and support. Mrs. Perrotti thanked the community for electing her to the School Committee as well as thanked members of the School Committee for electing her to serve as School Committee Chair. Mrs. Perrotti received a standing ovation by the audience.

Perrotti was appointed to the Portsmouth School Committee in May, 2009 by the previous Town Council (at a meeting during which no public comment was permitted) to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Jamie Heaney (R). She ran for school committee in 2010, and was the top vote-getter. Perrotti was elected as Chair by the members of the school committee on Nov. 23, 2010, despite the Democrats holding a 4-3 majority.

Full disclosure: I was a Democratic candidate in the 2010 school committee election.