Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Lorraine Lange to retire in 2 years

Lorraine Lange, who has been at the school system's helm since 2006, announced Thursday she will retire in June 2015.

Lorraine Lange

Annie McCallum | 981-3227

Friday, June 14, 2013

Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Lorraine Lange plans to retire in two years.

Lange, who has been at the school system's helm since 2006, announced Thursday she will retire in June 2015.

During a school board meeting Thursday the board signed off on a new agreement with Lange to take her through the 2014-15 school year. Her previous contract was scheduled to end in June 2014.

"You just can't get rid of me," she joked as she signed the resolution.

Board Chairman Jerry Canada said Lange, 65, had approached him about her retirement and that it's been a pleasure to work with her.

"The school division is in great shape thanks to your leadership and the people that surround you," he said.

The terms of Lange's contract will remain the same. In 2012-13 she earned $171,495.70. Lange has been with the school system for decades, joining the division as a teacher in 1969. In 2011 she was dubbed the Virginia Association of School Superintendents' Superintendent of the Year.

"It's just a pleasure to work with the people in Roanoke County," she said. "I couldn't ask for a better group of people. I'm going to enjoy my last two years."

Lange's long history with Roanoke County Schools started when she was a classroom teacher at Glen Cove and then the former Hardy Road elementary schools. She was later an assistant principal at the former Hardy Road Elementary before serving as principal at Mount Vernon, which is now closed, and Clearbrook and Green Valley elementary schools.

She went to the system's central office in 1988 as supervisor of language arts. Lange has also served as associate director of instruction, assistant superintendent of instruction, deputy superintendent and interim superintendent before officially taking over the system in June 2006.

When she first took the post she told the Roanoke Times people asked her if she wanted to become superintendent at a time in her life when some people retire. But she said she loved the job and it made her happy.

After Thursday's meeting she said she's worked for more than 40 years, and while she's not quite ready to retire now she won't work forever. She said she'll have to prepare for retirement.

"I think you have to ready yourself," she said.

In the meantime, Lange said she still has two years ahead of her, and during that time she'd like to work on balancing the system's budget, making sure teachers have raises and focus on 21st century learning skills for students.

In other news, the board:

Appropriated $1.3 million for architecture and engineering services for the Glenvar High School renovation project. Spectrum Design will complete the design work, which is the first step in the renovation project. The board opted in August to make Glenvar the system's next construction project.

Created a deadline for staffers who want to retire and participate in the Employee Extended Work Plan. The plan, where retirees work for the school system for a certain number of days for a certain percentage of their final pay, will either be changed or discontinued after next year, officials said. Difficult economic conditions have caused officials to take a look at whether they can sustain the program. It will remain intact for at least another year, officials said. Participating staffers must inform the school system by Jan. 31, 2014, if they will retire by July 1, 2014, and plan to participate for what will likely be the program's final year.

Monday, August 12, 2013