SPRINGDALE -- Jim Rollins, the School District's superintendent for 38 years, is leaving his post to become president of Northwest Technical Institute.
Rollins confirmed his intention to change jobs after the School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to accept his resignation, which is effective June 30.
Northwest Technical Institute will hold a news conference today to announce the deal, according to institute board member Carlos Chicas.
Springdale's School Board met for about 20 minutes in executive session before emerging to vote on Rollins' resignation. Michelle Cook, board president, expressed her appreciation to Rollins for his service.
"Dr. Rollins, from the entire board, we just wanted to tell you how much we appreciate you, how thankful we are for you, and how we look forward to celebrating in the days and months to come your legacy and what you've done for us," Cook said.
Rollins deserves to be mentioned among others such as Sam Walton and John Tyson that people think of when they think about Northwest Arkansas, said board member Kevin Ownbey.
"I really respect you and I thank you for your work here, and making Springdale a place that I love to live," Ownbey said.
Rollins expressed his gratitude to current and past board members.
"Springdale is a great place, and it's a great place to serve, and for families to move here, raise their children and so forth. It's just great to be a part of all of that. And so I thank you, really from the bottom of my heart," he said.
Rollins, 73, is a Greenbrier native. He said he once planned to be a physician, but was drawn to education and started his career as a science teacher in North Little Rock. He quickly moved into administration and began working for Springdale as the district's director of secondary education in 1980. He succeeded the retiring Thurman Smith as superintendent two years later.
Since then, Springdale's enrollment has grown from about 6,000 to more than 22,000 students. The district has built about 22 schools and become the largest school district in the state.
Cook said the board will discuss at its meeting on Tuesday its plan for replacing Rollins and the district's next steps.
The institute's board announced at a meeting March 10 it wanted Rollins to succeed President Blake Robertson, who is retiring this summer after six years on the job.
The institute is a state-supported career and technical school offering several programs for high school students and adults. It's about 2 miles from the School District's central office, where Rollins works.
About 225 postsecondary and 300 high school students were enrolled this past semester. It's the only school in Arkansas dedicated solely to career and technical study, according to Robertson.
The state this year approved an increase in the maximum salary for the president's position from $125,986 to $147,200. Rollins is being offered the new maximum salary. Robertson is making $90,284.
Mike Hamley, the school's vice president of finance and operations, said the state will not increase the school's budget for the president's new salary. Some positions that have been vacant for some time weren't included in the budget, which allowed the school to absorb the larger salary, he said.
Springdale's School Board evaluated Rollins' performance in January. The board granted him a 7.3% raise, bringing his annual salary to $243,000, but declined to extend his contract another year, as it typically does following its annual performance review. The board didn't give a reason for not extending his contract, which was set to expire Dec. 31, 2021.
Rollins' son, Joe Rollins, is a former Springdale school administrator who now works as director of workforce development for the Northwest Arkansas Council.
NW News on 06/03/2020