Portales superintendent stepping down

School board members and employees of Portales Municipal Schools looked surprised and saddened Monday night when Superintendent Randy Fowler announced his retirement.

Fowler, who has served as superintendent for eight years, said his last day will be June 30.

It was during the board's monthly meeting he announced his retirement through a letter read by president of the board, Alan Garrett.

Randy Fowler

Spent nearly 40 years of his life as an educator

Fowler then told board members and employees it has been a great school district to work for.

At the last board meeting, board members renewed Fowler's contract for another year at a salary of about $120,000. At that meeting, board members said they were pleased with the accomplishments that Fowler has reached, and hopefully looked forward to him serving three more years as superintendent.

Fowler has spent nearly 40 years of his life as an educator, at least 27 of those years dedicated to the Portales school district and he attended Portales High School as a student.

Prior to applying for Portales schools superintendent, he served as superintendent of the Eunice School District for six years.

Fowler has guided the district through accreditation several times and has said the district's strength is the high level of quality of quality in its teaching staff.

During his career, he saw being able to meet the challenges of the federal No Child Left Behind act as one of the biggest challenges of the district, because it was not unique to Portales.

He was also in support of the less government in the district and the district's ability to make its own decisions for the needs of Portales students.