Geary USD 475 Superintendent of Schools Ron Walker on Wednesday  announced his plan to retire from that job on June 30th.

During a JCPost.com interview the 60-year old Walker discussed the reasons why he is retiring.

“I’ve been working for the past 10 years about 12 to 16 hours a day, every day, Saturday, Sunday because if you want to do things right, and if you want to make certain the District is being well taken care of you have to put the time in. This is not just a job. This is a mission. That takes its’ toll on your body. It takes toll on your mind. It’s physically and mentally draining.”

Walker added if feels he can’t put 200 percent into the job, “it’s time, it’s time. And I’m a big idea person. I always dream big, and lately it hasn’t been easy to dream big. When you get all those signs there you need to make a decision. ”

“If I’m not able to be here every day and going 200 miles an hour, and getting things done it’s time.”

Walker began work in Geary USD 475 as the Director of Human Resource Services in 2003 and became Superintendent in 2004.  He was instrumental in helping obtain the 2nd student enrollment count date on which state financial aid is based, a strong advocate of technology improvements in the schools, and has worked to lead the effort to obtain federal funding for new USD 475 schools on Fort Riley.

“I personally want to thank Mr. Walker for all of his good work during the last 11 years n USD 475 as our Superintendent and wish him the very best in his retirement,” said USD 475 Board of Education President Dr. Ferrell Miller.

The Board will consider his resignation at their  Feb. 3 meeting, and then work through the search process for the next superintendent with the Kansas Association of School Boards.