Madison City Schools superintendent, Robby Parker, announced his retirement recently at the Board of Education meeting. News spread fast, as students, staff, and teachers are shocked and heartbroken. Mr. Parker is a great leader and influence and, to many students and teachers, he was more than a superintendent. 

starting as a teacher and coach and then assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent, Mr. Parker has worked for Madison City Schools for 31 years. He worked at Liberty Middle School, Discovery Middle School, and Bob Jones High School. “It’s a shame to see him retire after being in the school system for so long, even my mom and my aunt remember having him as their principal,” said Bree Soto, a junior at Bob Jones. 

Students recollect fond memories of him throughout his career. Sarah Arafat, a Bob Jones senior, reminisced about the Homecoming Parade saying, “During the Homecoming Parade, he stopped every Homecoming Maid’s car and told them they looked beautiful and how proud he was of every last one of us. He didn’t care about what outsiders thought because he thought it was important to stop traffic and let us know.” 

Not only is he caring, but he is also funny. You can count on Mr. Parker to put a smile on your face. Bob Jones sophomore Rett Krome said,  “… he told at graduation about the first time he ate peel-and-eat shrimp. He ate like 12 shrimp with the shell on, not understanding that you’re supposed to peel them first.” 

Mr. Parker wrote in an email to the teachers, “In 1984, The Lord called me to teach. I was never so sure of anything in my life. Now, The Lord is leading me away from the Superintendent role.” He is passionate about what he does and has been from the beginning. He has made a big impact on our school system and will be missed. The students and teachers wish him the best of luck in his future.