Longtime NAFCS administrator Bill Briscoe to retire
Jan. 11—FLOYD COUNTY — A longtime administrator will be retiring at the end of the school year after serving more than 40 years in the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp.
Bill Briscoe, who is NAFCS assistant to the superintendent for administration and operations, has announced his pending retirement.
"I'm going to be turning 66 this September, and it's just time," he said. "I love this job, and I never say gosh, I don't want to be here, but it's time, and it will be good for the the organization to get new blood."
Briscoe started his career in NAFCS as as a teacher at Greenville Elementary and Lillian Emery Elementary, where he was a cumulative 15 years before eight years as principal at Silver Street Elementary.
He then was for six years the district's director of elementary education and Title I. He has been in his current position for nearly 14 years since 2007. Altogether, he has worked 44 years in NAFCS.
NAFCS Superintendent Brad Snyder said Briscoe is a "terrific public servant."
"He has been faithful and loyal to the community and the students and the staff," he said. "I believe he's a community treasure, and I think the world of him. He's very talented, and he brings a smile and a sense of humor to work with him."
Synder said he is developing a job description for Briscoe's position, and he will try to get it out by mid to late February. He hopes to have a pool of applicants in late March, conduct interviews in May and provide a recommendation in May.
He said there might be some minor changes to the position, but he doubts there will be major changes.
Briscoe currently is in a variety of roles, including overseeing human resources, as equal opportunity employment officer, working with the board to develop policies, collective bargaining and liaison with outside legal counsel. He is also a contact for questions or concerns from administrators, teachers and non-certified employees.
Snyder said he is happy for Briscoe, and his retirement is "well-earned."
"I wish him nothing but the best," he said.
Briscoe is well-known in the community as the voice behind recorded phone calls to NAFCS families, and many community members associate him with these announcements of delays or closings in the district.
As for who will fill that role on Briscoe's retirement, that is the "$64,000 question," Snyder said.
Briscoe said he doesn't have any major plans for retirement, but he looks forward to spending more time with family, and he hopes to enjoy some travel.
"I want it to be a blank slate where I go with it, and I'll figure out what's good for me," he said. "It may be a totally new life for me."
He said he enjoys working with students, parents, teachers and staff in the district, and he works with "tremendous friends and teammates."
"I've been humbled to be in this position, and I'm honored to serve this community," Briscoe said. "I think New Albany-Floyd is the best school corporation, and I think we have a great team here."
Briscoe said he hasn't had much time to reflect on his accomplishments over his decades working in NAFCS, and he is still looking ahead to the next months of serving the district.
He said if he has any advice to teachers or administrators, it's to "have more fun and laugh more.
"Try to find the joy in your work — I think that's important," Briscoe said.
