Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1132684
Whenever a decision is to be made, Siloam Springs Superinten- dent Ken Ramey is well known for guiding the discussion with the question "What's best for kids?" Now that his 52-year career in education is coming to a close, he is leaving a legacy of putting kids first through the many people he has impacted at the local and state level. Ramey came to Siloam Springs as high school principal in 1994 and then transitioned into the role of assistant superintendent before becoming the district's leader in 2001. He announced his plans to retire in January and will pass the reins to Assistant Superintendent Jody Wiggins on June 30. During the past 17 years, Ra - mey's many accomplishments include building a trusting part- nership between the school dis- trict and the community, leading the district through a successful millage increase, overseeing the building of the high school and the renovation of the middle school, implementing the instructional facilitator program, developing the Career Academy of Siloam Springs and other career and technical programs, and helping the district's administrative team to develop a mission, vision and values, according to Brian Lamb, school board president. Ramey has also been recog - nized as a leader in education at a statewide level, where he served on and chaired many legislative, curriculum and as- sessment committees. In 2015, Ramey was named Outstanding Administrator of the Year by the Arkansas School Based Health Department, then in 2017 he was named the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators' Superintendent of the Year. Tom Kimbrell, who served as Arkansas Commissioner of Education from 2009 through 2014, said that Ramey is one of his heroes — a statement that Kimbrell said often embarrasses his down-to-earth friend. "He set an example I tried to emulate as commissioner of edu - cation — to focus on what's best for kids and put that first focus on academics." Kimbrell said he was serving as AAEA executive director when he first got to know Ramey through the many committees on which Ramey served. At the state level, Ramey always brought the focus of the discus - sion back to what was best for kids, even if it wasn't convenient for administrators or financially best for school districts, Kimbrell said. But his tremendous integ- rity is what really makes Ramey his hero, Kimbrell said. Locally, Ramey brought a professionalism that permeated throughout the district and set an example for all staff members — from teachers to custodians and bus drivers — to work as a team to do what is best for kids, Kimbrell said. "Siloam Springs was one of those model school districts that a lot of us wanted to emulate and a lot of us wanted to be like," he said. High school secretary and administrative assistant Cheryl Rakestraw said she has seen Ra - mey's heart for students and staff over the years. She said the respect and love that staff members have for Ra- mey led his focus on"What's best for kids" to become the culture of the school district. "Everyone highly respects him and I think everyone knows 100 percent why he's here — it's for the kids," she said. It doesn't matter what an employee's job title is, Ramey is ready to shake their hand or give them a hug and he is always interested in students and ready to give them a pat on the back, she said, describing Ramey as "humble," "tenderhearted" and a "good soul." "He's always won everybody's heart and everyone just loves him," she said. Choosing a life devoted to education A native of Northwest Arkan- sas, Ramey was born in Fort Smith and grew up in Fayette- ville. His parents, Carl and The- resa Ramey, chose to raise their two sons near the University of Arkansas because, like many people who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, they wanted a better life for their children. "We had very caring parents," he said. "We didn't have a lot of resources, but we had a lot of com - mitment to my brother and I." In eighth grade, Ramey had a teacher named Vivian Schurfanz who showed him what a big im- pact an educator can have on a student. She encouraged him to go on to college and her example led him toward a career in educa- tion. "A teacher is so impactful, they can be so positive, they have such a way of influencing kids," Ramey said. "If they put care and concern behind their content it can really make a life-changing impact on a child and that's why I know, because it happened to me. I know it is still that way, and I firmly believe that public edu - cation is what holds our society together." After high school, Ramey grad- uated from the U of A and started 'It's all about the kids' Ramey leaves behind students first legacy Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader Ken Ramey is retiring from his position as superintendent of Siloam Springs School District at the end of the month, but he said he will always be a Panther. H e set an example I tried to emulate as commissioner of education — to focus on what's best for kids and put that first focus on academics. Tom Kimbrell Former Arkansas Commissioner of Education Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader Superintendent Ken Ramey (right) greeted school counselor Barbara Macken and her daughter during his retirement party in May. School employees, community members and state officials said goodbye to Ramey at the event. Proud See Ramey on Page 2C Wednesday June 26, 2019 By Janelle Jessen Staff Writer n jjessen@nwadg.com