SAISD Superintendent Announces Retirement After 33-Year Career

Dear SAISD Family,

As you may have learned earlier today, it is with mixed emotion that I announced to our school board and leadership team that I have made the decision to retire this December. This fall will mark my 33rd year in Texas Public Schools and my 9th year as superintendent in San Angelo ISD. Serving this community and school system has been a genuine honor, and my 15 years in San Angelo have brought long lasting friendships and great joy. I have grown not only as a public-school leader, but as a person, father, and husband due to the wise counsel and positive example set by so many community leaders, friends, and colleagues. San Angelo has been a blessing to our family, and for that I extend my deepest gratitude.

I particularly want to thank the San Angelo ISD Board of Trustees for offering me the incredible opportunity to lead this stellar district. SAISD is at an exciting juncture in its history, due to the effective leadership of our school board, district and campus leaders, classroom teachers, and support staff. We are poised for greatness and will continue the legacy of excellence in our  school district. The growth we’ve seen has been a team endeavor, and our all-star team of educators and school board trustees at SAISD will remain.

We have much to accomplish, and I embrace the opportunity to continue our work together in the fall semester. A December retirement date will provide our board ample time to approach the search for a new superintendent in a thoughtful and considerate way.

Foremost, I want to thank our families for sharing their children with us in SAISD. The opportunity to have a meaningful and positive impact on students each day is what makes this profession the most rewarding of all.

In my retirement, I’ll have the opportunity to take on a new professional challenge working for a non-profit education organization in Texas exclusively representing the interests of children and providing fair funding levels for school districts and teachers. I look forward to staying connected to public schools in this role and continuing to advocate for the 5.5 million students in Texas.

Simply put, Judy and I believe the time is right to swing open the retirement gate and follow the path to our next adventure. Although I will not be in close proximity, my support and love for the students and staff will not diminish. I will fondly remember the friendships and partnerships we have established in our community working on the behalf of students and families.

You will continue to have a transformative impact on the lives of our students, and I thank you for being there for them. It has been an absolute privilege to serve with you.

Highest regard, 

Carl Dethloff, Ph. D
Superintendent of Schools

Dear San Angelo ISD Community, 

This afternoon Dr. Carl Dethloff, Superintendent of San Angelo ISD, announced his intention to retire in December. He has spent thirty-three years in service to Texas students in public education, fifteen of those years in SAISD. For the last nine years, he has guided our district as superintendent. As a school board, we want to take time to formally thank Dr. Dethloff and his family for his service to our community. His commitment to engaging all students and positioning our people to make a difference in the lives of our students will be his lasting legacy.

As a board, we recognize the importance of selecting our next superintendent. We understand our decision will affect students, staff, families and our community. We plan to engage with a search firm and create a comprehensive timeline for the process of hiring our next superintendent. Our board plans on gathering input from parents, staff, students and community members to create an ideal profile for our next superintendent. Our hope is to make the transition to a new superintendent as smooth as possible.

As a district, we are proud of our accomplishments under Dr. Dethloff’s tenure, but we understand that our next superintendent will have to set a standard that leads to further student success and improved staff retention while navigating the changing landscape of public education.

We aspire for SAISD to be the premier school district in West Texas for students and staff. We will search for and find a strong candidate that supports our West Texas values and creates a culture that continues to develop students that can communicate, collaborate, create and be critical thinkers. The children of San Angelo, staff of SAISD, and our community deserve a superior candidate; it is our goal to find that candidate for our district.

Sincerely,

Taylor Kingman, MD
SAISD Board of Education - President