Retirement, Part II for Dean

By JIMMY GALVAN
Managing Editor

For the second time in recent years, Bill “Butch” Dean is retiring.

This time he says it’s for real.

“My original plans were to stay through June of 2009 and that’s what I was shooting for,” Dean said. “I had some goals that I was shooting for and I think there are some folks here that can pick them up and go with them.

“I have 29 years in this business and I wanted a little bit of time to do some of the things I always wanted to do,” Dean said. “I want to spend some time with my grandchildren in Amarillo as well as do some work around home that had been left undone since Hurricane Rita.”

Dean admitted that a health issue played a part in him moving up his retirement plans a year.

“My doctor said there is a good chance for me to come out of everything healthy but there are some things that would hinder it,” Dean said. “Stress was one of the issues so this was a good time for me to go and let someone else pick it up and run with it.”

For the past 23 years, Dean has been a fixture in the Jasper Independent School District Administration building. He has served as Finance Director before becoming superintendent a year ago.

“I have been around here for 23 years and it’s going to be hard not to come here every day,” Dean said. “I care a lot about this community and as times have changed, students have changed and you have to adjust to it.”

Dean admitted that he would have a hard time walking away from his second home with JISD.

“I enjoy what I do but when you can accomplish something for your students and help them to get ahead — that’s a really good feeling,” Dean said. “You have a lot of good folks here that I enjoy working with. I’ve had a good working relationship with people here and that’s important. “I’ve always been one to ask for advice before making making any decision,” Dean said. “I listened to folks pretty intently before making any decision. We all have gotten used to each other over the years.”

That’s not to say that he is not looking for to his retirement years ahead.

“I have been working so long and not working is something I know that I am going to have to adjust to,” Dean said. “Not working is going to be an adjustment. That is something I will have to get used to.”

Dean was asked by the JISD school board to replace Dr. Eddie Dunn a year ago and now the board will be looking to fill the big shoes being left by Dean.

Dean said this community and school district has a lot to offer to the next superintendent of schools.

“This community has come through some hard times but this community pulls together a lot,” Dean said. “There are a lot of organizations and churches out here that try really hard for the students with different programs.

“You have your ups and downs but when you compare this community to others, then this community exceeds what it does for the kids,” Dean said. “And I’m proud of that.”

Dean said he is proud of lot of issues that the district faced during his short tenure as superintendent.

One issue that he is proudest  of is the way the district took on the challenge presented by the high school’s math scores being deemed unacceptable by the state.

The end result was the formation of a math roundtable group that meets once a month to discuss the district’s math teaching strategies.

“That meeting is one of my most favorite things to do,” Dean said. “I see us moving ahead with this issue and I’m looking forward to this coming month when we take our math TAKS tests.”

Dean now becomes a part of that national statistic of baby boomers that are retiring out from education field.

“During the next five years it’s going to be critical,” Dean said. “There are not that many people getting into this business anymore.”

Dean said he has no regrets from taking over the position a year ago.

“I will admit I was nervous when I took over though,” Dean said. “I had done a good bit of the different duties in the absence of the superintendents. I saw there were some things that I thought I could do and that part was fun.

“I am hoping that everyone will see that our efforts have moved the district forward,” Dean said. “I am going away with a pretty good feeling.”