NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Metro School Board said that it will accept the severance package proposed by the school's director Dr. Pedro Garcia, meaning he will leave his job before his contract ends.

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The school board was supposed to meet Saturday morning to present their evaluations of the proposal, but the meeting was put off until the afternoon. Officials said their acceptance will usher in a fresh face.

"The sense that I got from teachers yesterday was that they're excited about the opportunity for metro Nashville schools to change," said Erick Huth, of the Metro Nashville Education Association.

Garcia will receive a year's pay, $216,000, and money for unclaimed sick and vacation days to leave the position he's held for over six years.

Chris Henson, the district's chief financial officer, was named interim superintendent.

Had the board not approved the proposal, it would have been more expensive to fire the embattled school chief. School board officials estimate they saved about $72,000.

Under the agreement, Garcia is gone once he receives a check from the district.

Garcia has interviewed for the school director's job in San Diego, but all signs pointed to him not getting that job, said school officials.

Garcia has been criticized over the district's performance.

According to statistics, Metro schools have the lowest graduation rate and the highest dropout rates in the state. The district is also under protective action by the state because of poor test scores and performance.