Retirement Approved
BOE members applaud Schmidlen
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Randolph County Schools Superintendent Debra Schmidlen, left, and Executive Secretary Vickie Dewitt listen during this week’s regular Randolph County Board of Education meeting at the Central Office.
The Randolph County Board of Education approved Superintendent Debra Schmidlen’s retirement request this week. From left, BOE members Janie Newlon, Amanda Smith and Phil Chua share a happy moment with Schmidlen during the meeting.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Randolph County Schools Superintendent Debra Schmidlen, left, and Executive Secretary Vickie Dewitt listen during this week’s regular Randolph County Board of Education meeting at the Central Office.
The Randolph County Board of Education approved Superintendent Debra Schmidlen’s retirement request this week. From left, BOE members Janie Newlon, Amanda Smith and Phil Chua share a happy moment with Schmidlen during the meeting.
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ELKINS -- The Randolph Board of Education approved Superintendent Debra Schmidlen's retirement request during its regular meeting this week at the Central Office.
Schmidlen, who has served 35 years in the Randolph County School System, recently announced that she was planning to retire at the end of the fiscal year. Following the BOE's approval during the meeting, her last day will be June 30.
"I've always tried to make good decisions that's in the best interest of the staff and students, and I felt like retiring at this point of the year was the right thing to do," said Schmidlen. "I've been around 35 years and I've enjoyed all 35 of those years, but I just felt like it was the right time to move on to other things."
After approving Schmidlen's request, BOE members Amanda Smith, Rachel Anger, Janie Newlon, Sherri Collett and Phil Chua gave her a round of applause and thanked her for her years of service.
Anger expressed gratitude to the superintendent for making her retirement announcement when she did, noting that doing so early in the year gives the board ample time to find Schmidlen's predecessor.
"We appreciate Superintendent Schmidlen's service to the county for 35 years, and it goes to show her professionalism with announcing her retirement in enough time for us to prepare for the future of Randolph County Schools," Anger said.
Newlon stated that, despite facing many obstacles, Schmidlen had a fantastic five-year run as the county's superintendent.
"She had a lot of pressure on her during the COVID years," Newlon said. "It was a very trying time for everyone and she did a really good job with that. I appreciate everything she has done for Randolph County and I hope she will come back as a substitute teacher when she retires."
Schmidlen served as principal at Third Ward Elementary school for seven years before being named assistant superintendent in 2017. She was named county superintendent in 2019.
"I just felt like it was the appropriate time for me to submit my retirement," Schmidlen told The Inter-Mountain. "And I wanted to announce it far enough ahead so that the board would have plenty of opportunities to look for, and secure a new superintendent. I didn't want to submit my letter of retirement later, because that wouldn't have given them the opportunity to do what they need to do. I felt like I owed that to the school system."
Even though her tenure as superintendent will end in June, Schmidlen said she is not 100 percent sure if this will be the last time she works in the school system in Randolph County.
"Everybody, when they retire, says you will never see them again," she said. "But I don't ever say never, and I don't believe in burning bridges. I'm leaving on a good note and I love Randolph County Schools. Who knows what I might want to do after I have a little time off?"