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BELLEFONTE -- There's going to be a big change in the leadership at the Bellefonte Area School District.
At Tuesday night's school board meeting, the board unanimously approved the retirement of superintendent Dr. Michelle Saylor. Her retirement will be effective July 1, 2020. Saylor has been with the district since August of 2012.
Saylor submitted her paperwork in December and the board voted on it at the first meeting of 2020. She said the decision to retire was not an easy one.
"Everyone has to understand, I'm not running from you, the community or the district … I love it," Saylor told the board. "Its just that my grandchildren are growing quickly. I say that tongue in cheek from my role as an administrator over time, even though I don't want to believe it that I may have sacrificed my children a little bit and I won't sacrifice my grandchildren."
Board president Jon Guizar said that he understood her decision to retire.
"I think we've all been in that boat," he said. "Kudos to have the ability to go and do it (retire)."
"You are all welcome to come visit me in Texas," Saylor quipped.
Saylor was given a one-year contract as superintendent in late June of 2016, taking over as interim after Cheryl Potteiger had left earlier in the year to take the superintendent position at Annville-Cleona School District. The interim title was then removed and Saylor has been in the role ever since.
According to the Bellefonte Area School District website, Saylor is originally from Nazareth, Pa. She is married with three adult children -- two daughters and one son. She went to Bloomsburg University for her undergraduate degree, Scranton University for her master's in English, California University of Pennsylvania for a master's in education and principal certification and Widener University for her doctorate.
Saylor's resume is extensive. She was an English teacher for nine years at Millville Area School District. She then became an assistant principal at Manheim Central from 2005 to 2009, when she left to become the director of curriculum, instruction and staff development at Wilson School District.
Following the meeting, Saylor talked about the decision to retire.
"It was a lot reflection and contemplation, you know? Every time there was a new initiative or I was working with a teacher growing an idea, I was like 'no, I really can't leave, there's too much work to be done.' But in all honesty, with my daughters and my grandaughters being in Texas … with that 1,500-mile divide, I can't be of service the way I'd like to be of service both here and there. Family is my priority," Saylor said.
Saylor will leave the district as it begins to embark on the elementary school project. The district will decide this spring whether to renovate some of its elementary schools or build a new one.
Retiring, however, won't be difficult simply because of the project.
"It's not just the elementary school project. We have a lot of innovation going on, with our curriculum with the Idea Hub, that we're growing in collaboration with CPI, there's the technology, there's the other pieces that we're developing, the global learning vision, there's a lot going on. It's an amazing place to be," Saylor said.
Saylor took a moment to reflect on the last few years. During that time, the district has changed a lot, she said.
"I'm proud of our teachers and staff and the culture they've built over the last several years … extremely inclusive. I'm proud of the way that they've stepped up to bring ideas forward and the way we've worked together to build those ideas," Saylor said. "I could go on and on. It's too much to list. It's an amazing foundation for someone to step in and take to the next level. I'm excited to see where it goes."
The board will meet again at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at Pleasant Gap Elementary.