Jim Rollins Leaving

On Jan. 14 the Springdale School Board motioned to not extend Superintendent Dr. Jim Rollins’ contract for another year. This was the first time in almost four decades for them to vote against the continuation of his job as superintendent.

“I was pretty surprised because Dr. Rollins has been here some 36 years, so it has just been a given that it will happen every year,” Principal Dr. Paul Griep said.

Since Rollins has been the superintendent, the Springdale School District has gone through many changes.

“During that time Springdale has more than doubled in size to become the largest, most diverse, and in my opinion the most innovative district in Arkansas with 23,000 students,” Assistant Superintendent of Education Shannon Tisher said.

A large role Dr. Rollins played was that of a recruiter for staff throughout the district.

“I think Dr. Rollins has hired every employee in this district maybe except one. That demands a lot of respect,” Dr. Griep said.

Dr. Rollins has been the superintendent for 38 years, and he has affected almost every aspect of when the school district is today.

“I expect that I speak for every member of the school educational team when I say that is the privilege of a lifetime to serve in the Springdale school system,” Dr. Rollins said.

With this change in personnel, the school board will have two years until Dr. Rollins will take his leave. In that period of time, the school board will be tasked with finding a new superintendent.

“When the time comes, the board will come together and create the process of whether they advertise nationally or whether they hire a firm,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland said.

Expectations will be high for whoever will be taking Dr. Rollins’ place and following his legacy.

“It’s about the students. We need to hire somebody who has the right priorities in mind,” Dr. Griep said.

There are also a few concerns for the future but for the most part these apprehensions are surrounded by hope.

“My hope for the future is that we continue the mantra of “All Means All” through personalized learning opportunities for the students in Springdale Public Schools,” Tisher said.

Dr. Rollins has lead the school district through many ups and downs, and he will continue as he has for the rest of his term.

“The Springdale School District is the place to be, and I thank every student, every staff member, and every school partner for the contributions they are making in the pursuit of excellence,” Dr. Rollins said.

 

Tisher – Dr. Rollins has been the Superintendent for about 38 years. During that time Springdale has more than doubled in size to become the largest, most diverse, and in my opinion the most innovative district in Arkansas with 23,000 students.  In my role, I focus on curriculum, instruction, and innovation in grades 6-12. These questions pertain to personnel. Additionally, the superintendent’s contract is under the exclusive purview of the school board. My hope for the future is that we continue the mantra of “All Means All” through personalized learning opportunities for the students in Springdale Public Schools.

 

Griep – I know that he has two years left on his contract. Selecting a superintendent is a power that is given to the board of education. One of their jobs is to hire and fire people basically. I don’t know what our district is going to do. I was surprised when I heard the news. I was pretty surprised because Dr. Rollins has been here some 36 years, so it has just been a given that it will happen every year. The ability to stay in one district for near four decades is kind of rare. I think Dr. Rollins has hired every employee in this district maybe except one. That demands a lot of respect. It has such a reputation of being a great district and that begins with leadership. I can’t imagine how hard that job is. I think the most important thing is remembering why we do our work. We don’t do our work for personal glorification or anything like that. It’s about the students. We need to hire somebody who has the right priorities in mind. The job of a leader is to support those they’re leading. It’ll be interesting to see their vision. It will be a difficult transition at times just because we know the culture of our district. 

 

Cleveland – Dr. Rollins is a marvelous person. He has been in our district for forty or more years. I know at some point he wants to retire. When the time comes, the board will come together and create the process of whether they advertise nationally or whether they hire a firm. Having Dr. Rollins for [forty years] has been quite a blessing for this whole district because of the stability. He needs all the credit in the world, but it also goes back to the board too. They deserve all the credit because empower him and other leaders in the district to do quality work. I hope they select someone who’s passionate and kind and who cares about kids. I’ve been with Dr. Rollins for seven years. He is an icon in Arkansas education. I love him. He calls me his second son. I’ll do anything for him. He loves this district, he loves this school, he loves this staff. If you get to know Dr. Rollins, he’s just a dandy. If it wasn’t for him, these lights wouldn’t be on. You wouldn’t have the great staff members that teach you in class. I’m not sure anybody has a better body of work than Dr. Rollins in public education in the country.