Daviess County Public Schools Superintendent Matt Robbins has announced his retirement, effective August 1, 2024. He was hired for the position in 2017 and has served nearly 30 years in various capacities at DCPS.
Robbins made the announcement Friday afternoon at the end of a special called meeting for the DCPS Board of Education. He read the following remarks regarding his retirement:
I’ve served in various roles with DCPS since the 1995-96 school year (29 years ago) and have served as Superintendent since July 1, 2017 ( my 7th year). I have enjoyed every role, with the supreme ambition to make a difference, no matter the role or responsibility. I have always felt I was a part of something that was far bigger than myself.
Daviess County is simply the best school district in Kentucky. It is a unique, different place. The expectations are the highest, the staff here are the best, and the community supports our mission of placing our community’s Kids First.
I am announcing today that I am retiring as superintendent of DCPS, effective August 1, 2024. A moment I have long planned, nevertheless it comes with some degree of sadness after nearly three decades of personal investment and lifetime relationships made. Advisors have always told me “you’ll know when it’s time”. It’s time.
Serving as superintendent of DCPS has proven to be the greatest professional challenge in my life, as well, this role has provided my greatest professional rewards. I must admit, when I first thought about being the caretaker of 11,000 students, the parents/guardians, and over 1,700 employees, it seemed a bit overwhelming. I still recall the first weather cancellation I made and our OneCall system prompted: “This message will be delivered to 16,563 recipients – Do You Want to Send?” I must have reviewed that message a dozen times with trembling hands.
For this reason, I quickly recognized that it takes a Superb Team of people to achieve any degree of excellence. I am surrounded by the best team of people that I could ask to have by my side. That begins with our Board and includes my District Leaders and School Leaders. This is a great group of people, all committed towards our organizational pillars – Learning, Safety & Wellness, Excellence, Communication, and most of all, Teamwork. For this exact reason, “I” have not accomplished anything, and the use of pronouns such as “We”, “Us” “Our” which are incredibly important to me – refer to OUR collective accomplishments and achievements.
Board, I am eternally grateful for not only your belief and confidence in me, but also for your steadfast wisdom, guidance, and support provided to me. I have shared with many of my colleagues around the state, there is no finer group of people to work for and to work with than you.
Board, I remember stating in my interview that this was my last and only stop as a superintendent. That I had no desire to be anyplace else. Further, I remember telling you that I’ve not left anything in Louisville, Lexington, or Frankfort that I needed to go back and pick up. I wanted to be sure I was here to do the job the way I always felt it needed to be done. I fulfilled that promise.
The mark of any leader is to leave things better than you found them – we call that continuous improvement around here. I believe we’ve accomplished this on many fronts as well.
I’ve always felt that leadership needs to be long enough to be effective, but short enough to allow for new ideas and new opportunities and new skills. I think when these 7 years are complete, I will have hit the sweet spot. It is time for someone with new and different skills and abilities to continue leading DCPS forward.
Due to the state laws and regulations, the process to hire a new superintendent is a bit arduous and time consuming – probably for mostly good intentions. The sole reason I am making this announcement today is to allow this process to begin and desirably conclude with hiring the next, right leader to lead us forward. It is my desire to provide this new leader with the proper orientation and “passing of the baton” that this organization so richly deserves.
As for my plans, I just know a few things about myself that I have learned over the years.
1. I like to work and need to work. I am retiring from DCPS and this profession, but I will continue to work after a brief “walk in the forest.”
2. I am motivated by serving others.
3. I must believe whatever it is that I am doing, I can make a difference.
My next chapter is filled with blank pages, yet to be written. It has been a life’s honor and privilege serving as your superintendent. Let’s now finish what we started! Kids First Always!
Robbins was hired in March 2017 and officially began his role that July. He first started working at DCPS in the finance department during the 1995-1996 school year. Robbins spent a brief period with Owensboro Public Schools as the Assistant Superintendent for Operations before returning to DCPS, where he remained ever since. Prior to his current position, Robbins served as the Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations for 7 years.
Robbins has served on the Kentucky Association of School Business Administrators board, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Finance Advisory Committee, KDE Local Superintendents Advisory Committee, Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) Board of Directors, and Junior Achievement of West Kentucky board.
Robbins also presently serves as President of the Kentucky Council for Better Education and is on the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents board of directors.
In other business during Thursday’s meeting, the board elected a new slate of officers as follows: Chairperson James Morgan, Vice Chairperson Dr. Tom Payne, Secretary Matt Robbins, and Treasurer Sara Harley.
