The surprise announcement Thursday by former Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan that she was withdrawing a lawsuit against the county Board of Education ended a long battle within the county Office of Education.

“This community means everything to me,” Dewan said in a statement Thursday after filing a dismissal of her own lawsuit against the county board. “I have served this community with dedication and distinction.”

Dewan filed the suit last October after she was fired “without cause” following a six-year tenure. No reason was given for the termination, although some published reports suggested there was some concern about the diversion of funds to boost the county’s Head Start early childhood program.

In a news release today, the county Office of Education said Dewan’s dismissal marks a “positive resolution” to the matter and reaffirms confidence in the board’s actions.

“Dr. Dewan’s lawsuit against the Santa Clara County Board of Education was without merit from the start and was an attempt to distract from the concerns about the operations of the office under her tenure,” said interim superintendent Charles Hinman in a statement. “There are still ongoing matters that need to be addressed.”

In November Hinman had launched an investigation into alleged misuse of public funds, including unauthorized legal expenses, improper contract awards and additional security concerns.

“The dismissal reaffirms confidence in the integrity of the board’s actions and allows us to remain fully focused on our mission—serving and advocating for students across the county,”  the county education office said in a statement. “We will continue working to provide the highest quality education and support for our school communities.”

Board President Maimona Afzal Berta emphasized the significance of this decision, stating,"We are pleased that the lawsuit against the Santa Clara County Board of Education has been dismissed. From the start, this case had no merit and should never have been filed because it was completely baseless.” “Unfortunately, it took a superior court judge denying Dewan in October to hold her accountable to the community,” Berta said.