Oxford Schools will see a new superintendent next fall, as Superintendent Dr. William Skilling steps into retirement on Aug. 31 after 35 years in education.
‘I have been thinking about the transition plan, retirement plan for actually a couple of years,? Skilling told this reporter in a one-on-one interview. ‘In talking with my wife and family we kind of targeted 2016 to retire because my youngest son would graduate at that time.?
It turns out, his youngest, Zac, is graduating a year early. As a superintendent who has taken ‘great risk to make change? in the district, Skilling said he only knows ‘one way to operate,? and that way is to ‘not value mediocrity? and ‘thriving on innovation.?
‘I couldn’t operate any other way. That’s how I operated in my previous superintendent position, that’s how I operated as a high school principal, that’s how I operated as a middle school principal,? he said. ‘The collective years of operating that way have kind of taken a toll.?
Even while on vacation time with family over the past few years, Skilling admitted that he’s not been fully engaged in the events because his mind has been elsewhere or he’s received phone calls of school district emergencies that required his attention.
‘As the superintendent you’re never off the grid, never off the job,? he noted. ‘It’s a 24/7 job.?
Skilling said the most recent ‘withdraw? from family, was when he was in Georgia last October celebrating his grandson’s and daughter’s birthdays. He said his family looked at him and said ‘you’re going to retire this year.?
‘So coming home from that weekend in Georgia I had made the decision I am going to retire. I got home on a Monday and on Wednesday I got the prognosis that I (had) prostate cancer,? he said. ‘My wife looked at me and said ‘you are going to tell the board right now that you are retiring.??
On Oct. 24, Skiling called each board member individually to tell them of his plan to retire. However, he wanted to hold off making it known publicly until after going through surgery and recovery. At this time Skilling is relieved to be cancer free.
Why the extended contract?
If his desire was to originally retire in 2016, Skilling was asked why he agreed to sign the extended contract back in April that would have potentially moved him from Superintendent in 2016 to the position of ‘Superintendent Emeritus of International Programs, Global Outreach and Fund Development,? until 2019.
‘When the Weiming partnership unfolded, which included the resident hall, I was asked by board members to stay on longer. I agreed to do so to assist with the international partnerships and with the Weiming project,? Skilling explained. ‘However, we have (Deputy Superintendent) Tim Throne with a lot of experience with the international programs and with our partners in China. Therefore, I told the board that they did not need me to carry out the international partnerships. Tim Throne can lead that charge? Therefore, I went back to more of my original plan by deciding to retire now.?
Next step
As for the next step forward in the process of hiring a new superintendent, Skilling said that will be in the hands of the new school board, who will take their seats in January, which he imagines they’ll move on right away as it will be a ‘top priority? for them.
‘When superintendents retire, generally they try to do it six months to a year ahead of time because they know the board has to go through a process to find a successor,? he said. ‘Ideally you want to find a successor when the current superintendent is still on the job, so there can be some collaboration in transition between the one coming on and the one leaving.?
Retirement
As far retirement goes, he is looking to teach at the University level, which has always been one of his goals and maybe do some consulting on the side as well.
‘I’ve taught 18 years part-time,? he said. ‘I really enjoy working with aspiring administrators and that’s basically what I’ve taught is educational leadership.?
Other than that he just wants to ‘be off the grid.? Even as superintendent, he said he never wanted to be a ‘public figure,? due to his introverted personality.
‘I just want to be in the background. I want to be able to teach, I want to be able to hang out with the family, I just want to be a normal person,? he added. ‘I don’t want people to know oh he was a superintendent, I could care less about it. I don’t ever want to be called Dr. It creates a fa’ade or a barrier so I don’t even like being called Dr. Skilling, I just want to be called Bill.?
As far as his thoughts about Oxford, Skilling said he’s ‘grateful? the school board hired him and that he had the opportunity to live in Oxford and finish raising three of his children in this community to become Oxford graduates.
‘Oxford will always be a special place. This has been the best community and best school district that I’ve lived in and worked for,? Skilling said. ‘I will always be grateful for the people who put their trust in me and always be grateful for the community who overwhelmingly supported the things that we’ve done. If that weren’t the case we wouldn’t have accomplished what we’ve accomplished.?