In a brief announcement during Thursday’s board meeting of the Escambia County School Board, William Hines announced his intention to retire as superintendent before the end of the year.
“After considering some recent legislative actions I feel it would be in the best interest of my family and I if I retired as of Dec. 1,” Hines told the board. “My contract with the county would have been up in May (2012), but economics makes retiring sooner best for my family.”
Board Chairman Mike Goolsby said the board now has two options when considering how to move forward in having leadership in place for the school system.
“We can go ahead with a search now,” Goolsby said. “We also have the option of appointing an interim superintendent to serve for 180 days until a full search can be conducted.”
Hines, who has served five and a half years in the superintendent’s position will be retiring with 34 years of service to the school system.
“We appreciate the work he has done with this board,” Goolsby said. “He has done an excellent job. He is one of the reasons this system is in as good a shape as it is.”
Board member Danny Benjamin said Hines’ departure from the Escambia County School System will leave a void that may be hard to fill.
“He has been an icon for our system and has done so with integrity and good moral character as a visionary superintendent,” Benjamin said. “If we could say no to this, I’d be the at the top of the list to say no.”