Texico superintendent taking position with Muleshoe schools

After 22 years at Texico, R.L. Richards is trading in his Wolverine green for Mule black.

Richards, 54, superintendent at Texico Schools, is taking an assistant position with the Muleshoe Independent School District.

As assistant superintendent, Richards will be in charge of curriculum and academic accountability, and also act as a service provider to principals as a representative of the superintendent's office.

"Muleshoe looked like a great place to go and try to help another school district," Richards said of the move, which was made official Monday afternoon. "Texico was a great place too, but I felt like it was a good time in my career before I get too old to make a job adjustment.

"Their community is very, very supportive of their school. It's a lot like the Texico school community. That was one of the drawing cards for me."

Richards, a 1976 graduate of Roswell High School, has 25 years experience as a superintendent — the last 22 at Texico, plus three at Grady. He also taught math in the Dora and Hobbs school systems.

"We've hired several teachers, administrators from New Mexico who spoke highly of R.L. in the past," Muleshoe Superintendent Gene Sheets said. "Based on their recommendations and on his reputation, we felt like we wanted to interview him.

"We're excited about him coming. We think he can add a lot of experience."

Sheets said Richards' annual salary would be $82,500, and his planned starting date is July 15.

Richards said he told some staff members that he had applied at Muleshoe, though he noted he didn't broadcast it. He plans to move to the west Texas city about 20 miles to the east of his current post.

Successes at Texico, Richards said, were a product of everybody working together, including parents of numerous generations of students and several different school boards.

"It's hard for me to narrow it down to just one thing," Richards said when asked for a favorite memory. "But here's what has worked at Texico — when the parents and teachers worked together, the kids were always successful."