Home Breaking News South Pike superintendent to step down at end of school year

South Pike superintendent to step down at end of school year

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Roger Featherston

By John Balch

News-Leader staff

The South Pike County School Board will start this week making plans to replace Superintendent Roger Featherston, who stunned the board last week by announcing his resignation at the end of this school year.

Featherston said in his letter of resignation to the board that he felt “led to move on into a new chapter of my life at this time.” He also told the board he planned to go to work with his son-in-law John David Watson’s contractor company.

Featherston’s “new chapter” will include spending more time with his family, particularly his eight grandchildren – Ethan, Eli and Riggins Hornbeck; Ashly, Lily and Kinly McRae; and Jolee and Jones Watson.

“There’s eight good reasons right there,” Featherston said Monday morning about his decision to leave the district he has served for 31 years.

Featherston, a 1980 graduate of Murfreesboro High School, returned home in 1988 after a five-year coaching stint at Honey Grove, Texas to head up the Rattler football and track teams and take over as athletic director, as well as teach mathematics.

Under Featherston, the Rattlers earned six district championships, made it to the state finals in 1992 and 1996, and made 13 playoff appearances. His track teams also won two district championships – one for the boys and one for the girls.

Featherston took over from Mike Jackson as Murfreesboro’s high school principal in 2006-2007 and he served in this that position until the end of the 2010-2011 school year when he was named superintendent to replace Curtis Turner, Jr. Featherston was in the superintendent’s office when the Delight and Murfreesboro district merger was finalized to create the South Pike County School District.

During last week’s meeting, school board members were reluctant to accept Featherston’s resignation following a closed executive session of approximately 30 minutes. When President Steve Conly called for a motion to accept the matter at hand, he was first met with silence until Sarnia Minton made a motion that was seconded by Joe House and approved approved by a 7-0 vote.

The board is expected to meet this week to start the replacement process.

Featherston’s wife, Karen, who is also employed by the district, posted the night of the board meeting that her husband is looking forward to his new construction and wood-working gigs.

“He is eager for more time to build treasures for his grandkids but knows he will miss seeing the Rattler faculty, staff and students daily,” she said. “The heart of a Rattler beats strong, and he’s honored to have been a part of so many Rattler hearts over the years.”

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