A View From the Top

It was like riding a hot air balloon in a tornado. That’s how Dr. Ed Nichols describes his first few months as superintendent of Decatur City Schools. His day is full from the beginning of the day to the end, with very few moments to stop and sit.

Nichols is developing a strategic plan that will be set by the end of this year. The plan will be influenced by an analysis of the DCS facilities, resources, and finances.

But the work evaluating the status and needs of the school system began before he even had the job.

“Before being interviewed I was given the opportunity to evaluate our school district. I tried to take it from the standpoint as if I was interviewing for a school district other than Decatur. I thought, what would you do for a school district that you didn’t know. You would research the district, test scores, and programs. I looked at it from the outside looking in as if I had never been to this school district. I spent a lot of time researching my own school district.”

So, what did he learn from himself and Decatur City Schools through the process?

“I think through the process, I learned why I stayed here for 25 years. When I came here as a young man, I didn’t expect to stay here, but there is just something about Decatur and the community. You learn a lot about the people who support and care about you during a process like that. I realized, whether I got the job or not I was committed to being in Decatur in whatever role I was supposed to play. The thing I learned the most was that I didn’t have to be the superintendent, I had a good job, and just working here in Decatur was good enough for me.”

Dr. Nichols previously served as band director and later principal of Austin High School. For the past 9 years he was the assistant superintendent for Sam Houston.

Our new superintendent has big expectations for our school system. He takes pride in our schools, and encourages us to be competitive in what we do as students individually and for our schools.