Frisco ISD Superintendent Rick Reedy announces retirement

Editor's Note: This article was originally published at 4:49 p.m. on Sept. 12. It has been updated with additional information and quotes.

Dr. Rick Reedy, superintendent for Frisco ISD, announced his retirement Wednesday, although he will continue to serve as superintendent until a replacement is named. Reedy has spent 37 years with the school district, the last 16 as its superintendent.

Reedy said that although it was a difficult decision, he felt it was the right time to retire.

"I have mixed feelings [about retiring]," he said. "While I have no doubt that this is the best window of opportunity for our fine board to select a successor, I will miss the regular interaction with the board members, the staff, parents and students -- it was not an easy decision."

A Frisco ISD spokeswoman said the district's board of trustees would meet soon to develop a plan for naming Reedy's replacement.

Reedy, who began his tenure in Frisco ISD as a middle school teacher and coach in 1976, has served as the district's superintendent since 1997. During his tenure, Reedy's seen the district transition from just 3,750 students when he was named superintendent to its current enrollment of 42,628 as of the district's 10th day of school.

"When we were a small district, our biggest issue was resources," Reedy said. "We did not have the tax base that would adequately support either the operating budget or the construction needs. As we became a medium-sized district, the most significant concern was how rapidly we were moving toward becoming a large district. With several years of [enrollment] growth of more than 15 percent per year, we were stretched to keep pace with our facility needs. As we have moved up the list to become one of the larger districts in the state, our greatest challenge has been to maintain quality programming and provide equitable resources throughout the district."

Frisco Mayo Maher Maso said he was sad to see Reedy retire, but is happy for Reedy to begin the next chapter in his life.

"The impact that Dr. Reedy has had on Frisco ISD, the city of Frisco and the families in our community simply cannot be measured," Maso said. "I consider Dr. Reedy a mentor and a friend and have watched as he has managed the fastest growing school district in the country. Dr. Reedy's dedication to education and children not only benefited Frisco but all school districts in our state through his involvement [in educational organizations and committees] at a regional and state level."

Maso went on to thank Reedy for his service to the community on behalf of the city.

City Manager George Purefoy echoed Maso's sentiments, saying Frisco ISD's next superintendent will have an easier job because of the work Reedy's done.

"Dr. Reedy is the best people person I know to lead a school district through unprecedented growth," Purefoy said. "When you combine his great people skills with his vast knowledge of education and Frisco, you have the absolute best person leading FISD through the highest growth rate of any school district in the nation for more than a decade. Rick has put in place a great staff and a tremendous framework which will serve the district well for years to come."

Reedy graduated from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) in 1970 with his bachelor's degree and returned to the university for his master's and doctoral degrees, which he received in 1973 and 1990, respectively.

In 1970, Reedy started his career in education as a teacher in Whitewright ISD. He later taught at Trenton ISD before coming to Frisco ISD. After serving as a teacher and coach for three years, Reedy became Frisco High School's assistant principal in 1979 and was named the school's principal the next year.

Reedy was named the district's assistant superintendent in 1992, a position he held until being named superintendent.

For Reedy, the achievements of Frisco ISD during his tenure have been possible through the commitment of an engaged community and the support of district personnel, he said.

"All of the district's accomplishments have been collaborative efforts of every constituency -- board, staff, community, parents and students," Reedy said. "The community has supported the effort to maintain the vision of smaller secondary campus enrollments, which allows more students opportunity for meaningful experiences. Being a part of productive collaborative efforts with many public and private partners, most notably the unique relationship with the city of Frisco, has meant great things for students and the community."

Reedy added that city personnel and organizations have led to opportunities for Frisco ISD students. He cited the Frisco Education Foundation's more than $2 million in scholarships to Frisco ISD seniors since 1999 as one of the district's many high points during his tenure.

According to Reedy, however, the biggest advantage the district has compared to other school districts is its staff.

"The expansion of academic programs to meet the needs of diverse learners has been significant, but attracting the type of employees whose primary concern is the welfare of our students is probably the most important [accomplishment of Frisco ISD]," he said.

In addition to his position in the school district, Reedy has also served on boards for the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, North Texas Medical Center, Frisco's Future and With Love It's a Small World.

While Reedy has no immediate plans for his future, he did say he hopes to be productive in some capacity following his retirement.

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