BC News

Dr. Loomis to retire at the end of 2007-08

Veteran Educator beginning 21st year as BC Superintendent

Release Date: Sept. 4, 2007

Dr. Les Loomis, who came to Bethlehem Central in 1987 and has guided it through a period of significant growth and enhanced academic performance that ranks statewide, will step down at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

Dr. Loomis announced his retirement to all faculty and staff members in his welcoming remarks during the district’s annual Opening Day events, which kicked off his 21st year as superintendent of the district.

“BC has given me the opportunity to do important work – work that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” he said. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work with our students, the community and parents, faculty and staff and the board of education for the last two decades. Bethlehem Central is a great school district and this has been a great place to raise a family.”

Dr. Loomis, who holds a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University, came to Bethlehem from the Andover (Mass.) School District, where he was an assistant superintendent. Prior to that, he was principal of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, which is near Syracuse.

During his time in Bethlehem, the district’s enrollment grew by nearly 40 percent, and Dr. Loomis oversaw the passage of four bond issues – including the historic $93 million referendum in 2003 – to accommodate both existing and future growth. As part of that 2003 bond act, the district will open its sixth elementary school, Eagle Elementary School, in September 2008.

Under Dr. Loomis’ management, the district’s finances are in good health, as evidenced by Moody’s recent continuation of the district’s top quality bond rating. Also during his tenure, many new educational initiatives took root, the latest of which is the full-day kindergarten program, set to begin in September 2009.

“There is no job more difficult or important in a school district than the superintendent’s job,” Board of Education President James Lytle said. “We have been very fortunate to have two decades of Dr. Loomis’ dedicated service. The school district he will leave is even better than the one he found, and that is a credit to his sustained leadership.”

Lytle said the first step in the search for the next superintendent, the selection of a consultant to assist in the process, is already underway. Although the details of the search process will not be determined until after the consultant is retained, the Board is eager to solicit broad community input in the search for the new Superintendent.

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