This June will bring the career of one of Chelsea's most experienced and respected educators to a close.
Ron Mead is retiring at the end of this academic year as Chelsea High School principal, a post he has held since coming to town two decades ago.
But he is far too busy with the present to dwell on the future much.
"I haven't really had the time to think about it yet, but it's been a great 19 years," Mead said as he walked his customary lunchtime beat of the high school commons area recently.
"I just feel it's time."
Time indeed, after spending 36 total years in the education business in five schools.
"When I started out it was in six-year stretches, and when I got here I said it was time to stay put for a while," he noted.
"I came here in 1989 and they haven't been able to get rid of me."
Not that anyone's in a hurry to get rid of him. Chelsea Superintendent Dave Killips considers Mead one of the finest educational professionals he's ever met.
"I think of Ron in the highest regard," Killips said. "We've had an excellent administrator leading the way."
Killips was also a former high school principal before coming to Chelsea six years ago as superintendent.
"I worried about stepping on his toes or sticking my nose in where it didn't belong, but there was none of that with him - he had a good handle on things."
Looking back on the highlights of his career in Chelsea, Mead said certain things really stand out in his mind.
"Some individual classes have been outstanding," he said.
"The Class of '99 was one of the best, those kids showed a lot of leadership; the Class of 2006 had probably more academically gifted kids than any other, and they were good in other areas too."
The districtwide building project is another thing that Mead is proud to be associated with, especially moving his entire school into a new home across Freer Road in 1998.
"I found it a good learning experience and a once-in-a-career opportunity," Mead said.
"It's been wonderful; in particular the gym, auditorium and commons space has worked out really well.
"There have been other neat things, too," he added, "like our music programs and sports teams."
Unfortunately, there have been other, not so wonderful things that have happened while he's been principal.
Though he preferred not to talk about it directly, he was among the victims of a Dec. 16, 1993 shooting at the school.
Chemistry teacher Stephen Leith left a grievance hearing at the high school, obtained a handgun, returned to the school, and shot and killed Superintendent Joe Piasecki.
Mead and teacher ???? were shot and wounded by Leith, who is serving a life sentence.
There were other dark moments in his career that Mead did speak about at length.
"If there was one thing I wish I could change, it's the series of tragedies involving students and parents, and having to deal with crisis management," he said.
"It would have been nice not to have to face it. Everybody has to go through it from time to time.
"There was a stretch in the early '90s where we had a crisis every fall, between September and Christmas.
"The hardest time was when we lost three girls in November 2001, they were coming back from a football playoff game.
"There were 200 or 300 people gathered here, literally crying their eyes out."
Mead said working with students is definitely his favorite part of the job.
"I think it helps keep you young to associate with kids," he said. "It's fun to watch them progress during the four years, and you do stay in touch with some afterwards."
Mead expressed appreciation for his faculty and other school administrators.
"We've been fortunate on several levels, we have a really strong teaching staff, we attract really good teachers and that's been fun," he said.
"We also have a really strong administrative team — it's a credit to the various superintendents we've had, because they really set the tone."
One of those, Julie Deppner, has been Mead's assistant principal for five years.
"Ron has been a wonderful mentor to me," Deppner said. "He's a man of strong character, and holds himself and others to high standards.
"(His) desire for excellence is one of the many reasons Chelsea High School students have received such an outstanding, well-rounded education."
Mead also gave credit to a committed and involved board of education.
"I've worked in four other districts and the school board here is, hands down, really good," he said.
"They are really concerned for the school system, there are no personal agendas they are pursuing. They just want what's best for the kids."
Mead said he and his Marilyn began talking about his retirement about three years ago, but decided to stick it out until now.
He and Marilyn have been married for 36 years. Both of their daughters graduated from Chelsea; Sara in 1996 and Rachel in 1999.
He did not have any firm plans for the day he doesn't return from his summer vacation.
"We're going to stay in the area; I might do something part-time in education," he said.
"We've got an RV, we'd like to do some traveling."
Killips said the search for a replacement is quietly ongoing with a few candidates in mind, but the district is not ready to make an announcement yet.
"Obviously we have other administrators who have done an excellent job, but we are not at a point where we want to make a final decision," he said.
The superintendent praised Mead's devotion to the job and said he'd be a hard act to follow.
"The hours, the energy, the commitment he gave - it was all for the benefit of students at Chelsea High School," Killips said.
"Everything he stood for was to make things better for kids. He will leave some big shoes to be filled."
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