Members of Oxford High School’s graduating class weren’t the only ones with something to celebrate during last week’s commencement ceremony at the DTE Energy Music Theatre.

There was a freshman on stage who deserves to be recognized and praised for his accomplishments.

I’m referring to Superintendent Tim Throne, who is wrapping up his first year leading the school district.

Throne is to be commended for completely changing the atmosphere in Oxford Schools.

It’s like night and day.

Under Throne’s predecessor – let his vile name never be written or spoken again lest the flesh-covered demon reappear – the district was run like an Orwellian dictatorship.

You could literally feel the fear, the anxiety, the tension, the stress, the frustration, the unhappiness and the sheer disgust emanating from teachers, parents and community members.

Walking into a school building was like walking into a clenched fist. Everybody was wound pretty tight. Turkeys on the day before Thanksgiving were more relaxed.

It was an ugly eight years.

But now, all that’s over with and Throne deserves the credit. Why? Because he leads by example and the example he has set is a good one.

Based on my personal experiences with him and conversations I’ve had with others, he’s an open, honest, down-to-earth individual who doesn’t talk down to people or simply view them as a means to his self-aggrandizing ends.

Throne’s a regular guy. He’s genuine and unassuming. What you see is what you get. He listens. He’s respectful to all and hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

It’s a refreshing change from the prissy, power-mad, professorial wannabe we had come to know and loathe.

It’s clear to me Throne’s focus is Oxford and only Oxford. He’s not busy globe-trotting, serving his masters in Beijing or moonlighting. Each and every day, he’s here in every sense of the word.

When I was busy shooting photos on the first day of school last September, Throne was there, greeting people, shaking hands, casually chatting with parents and asking students how their summer vacations went.

I watched him and there was nothing phony or contrived about his interactions. He wasn’t putting on a show or posing for photo opportunities. He was actually happy to be there and genuinely interested in what people had to say.

When I was shooting photos at two high school auto shop competitions in the same week, Throne was there both times, helping teacher Dan Balsley by timing students, officiating and observing.

Throne assisted at these competitions prior to becoming superintendent and continues to do so. To me, that speaks volumes.

He could have easily bowed out. He could have told Balsley, ‘Look, I’m the superintendent now. I’m too busy for that kind of stuff. I’ve got a whole district to run.”

But he didn’t. Throne was right there, lending a hand, encouraging those auto students and making them feel just as important as the district’s top scholars and athletes.

I was very impressed.

That’s something old what’s-his-name never would have done.

Throne’s speech at the graduation ceremony was brief – something I greatly appreciated – but it was heartfelt.

He didn’t make it all about himself and his first year. He didn’t tout all the district’s accomplishments. He didn’t kiss the school board’s collective posterior.

Throne simply let the graduates know that no matter how far they travel or what they do in life, Oxford will always be their home and the people here will never stop rooting for them.

I thought that was a nice, simple message. It was a very ‘old school’ thing to say and I like that.

As a reporter, I will say Throne has been nothing but straightforward with me. He’s been prompt and truthful when it comes to responding to my questions. When it comes to transparency, he talks the talk and walks the walk – he doesn’t just pay lip service to it, while quietly sweeping things under the rug as was the common practice for eight years.

Throne’s kept me in the loop about many things. And he’s been appreciative of the newspaper’s school coverage.

It appears Oxford finally has the superintendent it needs and deserves.

One who cares about us. One who serves us. One who is truly one of us.

Congratulations on a successful freshman year, Mr. Throne. You should be proud – I know I am.

Enjoy being a sophomore.