Dublin ISD Superintendent Dr. Rodney Schneider announced his retirement during Monday night’s regular meeting of the DISD School Board, capping off a career that includes 20 years serving as a Superintendent.
Following a lengthy executive session, the school board accepted Schneider’s recommendation, naming Assistant Superintendent Melissa Summers as the lone finalist to succeed him. Her nomination will be officially recognized in a special meeting at the end of the month and she will start in the position when Schneider officially retires June 1.
Schneider began his career in education in 1987 in Raymondville, Texas as teacher and coach in football/coach.
After a couple of years, he moved to Ozona, where he met his wife, Chesta.
“I was given the opportunity to help out with administration and decided I enjoyed helping out teachers and kids,” Schneider remembered. “I didn’t expect to get a principal job so fast.”
Shortly after getting his Master’s Degree, he became the principal of a small sixman school in Ira.
He came to Dublin in 2009 as the Assistant Superintendent under Ronnie Barnett and was named Superintendent when Barnett left after a couple of years.
Schneider said his favorite part of the job is “having the ability to bridge the gap between the school and the community in a bigger way.”
“Without the community, the school is no good,” Schneider said. “Without the school, the community, for the most part, struggles.”
Schneider’s beliefs can be seen in the school’s commitment to buy Dublin first and reinvest in the community, one of the decisions that Schneider is proudest of in his time as Dublin’s Superintendent. Since then, the school has partnered with many c o m m u n i t y organizations and focused on community involvement with graduates getting special cords for having so many volunteer hours. The focus on expanding facilities and hosting events like play-off games and track meets is always done with the benefit of bringing people in who can eat at Dublin restaurants or shop at Dublin stores. Schneider said he will miss “everything” about the position, sharing in the joys and struggles of students, staff and families. “If this is what you want to do, you’re part of something greater than yourself.”
Schneider said the decision to retire has been a long time coming but was cemented when Chesta retired as principal last year.
“The blessing for us has always been that Chesta is just as passionate about education,” he said.
He said he is ready to rest and spend some time with family including Chesta and his parents, who live in North Dakota.
He plans to travel and see the country following the purchase of a camper, but assures that he and Chesta will still live in Dublin to support the school and community in which they have invested more than a decade.
“Thanks for letting me be part of it,” Schneider said to his neighbors in the Dublin community.