After serving the Tippecanoe Valley Schools for 40 years, Superintendent Brett Boggs officially announced his retirement during the January 15 school board meeting. He will continue until the end of the current school year.
He has held positions as teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. Boggs said, “Having had the opportunity to work with many students and staff members during that period of time has been extremely fulfilling and rewarding.”
He began with the schools teaching fourth grade at Akron. He moved into administration as assistant principal and athletic director in 1988 and went on to serve as the principal at Akron for 17 years. He was named assistant superintendent in 2005 and superintendent in 2008.
His contributions to education led to his being named Indiana Administrator of the year for 2002-2003 by the Indiana Association of Student Councils and the District 2 Elementary Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals in 2003.
Boggs listed some of the strides that have been made for the corporation in the last few years. Included in the list of achievements included: “ Establishing the Valley Hometown Fund, honoring the first class of Distinguished alumni in 2010, the implementation of the Professional Learning Community model in each Tippecanoe Valley school, completion of the $18.6 million Akron Elementary School renovation project, establishing Project Lead the Way classes at all grade levels and the achievement of Tippecanoe Valley receiving district accreditation by the ADvanED Accreditation Commission in 2008 and aging in 2018.”
However, he shared some of the challenges that he faced during his tenure as well. He said, “One of the most significant changes I’ve seen in education in the past 10 years involves schools competing for students. Because of legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly, the same schools we should be collaborating with we are now competing with for students. Since the state took over each school district’s general fund in 2009, the funding follows the child, which has resulted in intense competition for students.”
“The two and one-half year period in which we lost multiple students and staff to suicide and tragic accidents was the most difficult period of my professional and personal life. Today, our students, staff and the community are better prepared to see the warning signs and know how to properly respond to individuals at risk of suicide,” Boggs said.
Boggs shared his appreciation for the community during his remarks saying, “Tippecanoe Valley is a community where people truly care about each other and put needs of children first.” Speaking on behalf of his wife, Sarah, and himself Boggs said, “We enjoy being a part of this community. I am looking forward to finding something that is flexible and will keep me busy. I am looking into a few possibilities, but no decisions have been made.”
Boggs added, “There is no more noble profession than that of educating the young people of our community. There is no place I would rather have been than Tippecanoe Valley.”
Carol Anders Correspondent
