Haleyville Middle School principal retiring

HALEYVILLE    - The retirement of long-time Haleyville Middle School Principal Bo Wilcoxson after over 30 years total service in education has created a vacancy that board members and administrators agree will be difficult to fill.
Wilcoxson’s retirement, effective July 1, was one of a lengthy list of personnel items approved by the Haleyville Board of Education at their regular meeting Monday night, March 30.
“He has been phenomenal,” stressed Haleyville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Bishop. “Bo and I have a relationship that goes back 27, 28 years. We went to school and got our administrative degrees together.
“(Wilcoxson) found his niche when we put him over at the middle school. It is going to be hard to replace him,” Bishop admitted. “There is only one Bo, and Bo knows,” he laughed.“It is going to be hard to replace Bo.”
Bishop had informed board members at a work session held prior to the regular meeting that he would post for the middle school principal’s position.
“You have to post it for 14 days, because it is a supervisory position,” Bishop explained. “This will be posted this week.”

Bishop hoped the school would be able to interview for the position and have a replacement in place by the time of the school’s annual administrative retreat in June.
“(Bo) is not replaceable. That is how much I think of him,” Bishop emphasized.  “He has been a great friend, a great colleague.  We appreciate his service to Haleyville City Schools. He will be greatly missed.”

Board members wish Wilcoxson the best

Board of Education President Beth McAlpine commended Wilcoxson’s long-time service and wished him well in retirement.
“He has worn many hats and wore all of them extremely well,” McAlpine said. “We will miss him greatly, but expect to see him around often.”
Board member Donna Jones recalled Wilcoxson teaching  physical education at the elementary school while she was teaching there.
“He was going on about how much he loved the school system,” Jones recalled. 
Jones also recalled telling Wilcoxson  that, if he kept that frame of mind, he would some day retire from HCS.
“He kept that frame of mind,” Jones said. “He is a friend to many. The kids respect him, but they are also friends with him.
“It will be a huge loss for our school system because he puts so much into it,” Jones pointed out.
Board member Brian “Thumper” Vickery added, “ I would like to thank Bo for all his hard work and dedication to Haleyville City Schools.
“His passion and energy for the kids will truly be missed,” Vickery added. “I wish him well in his upcoming retirement.”
Board member Boo Haughton described Wilcoxson as a “wonderful servant to the Haleyville City school system.
“He has made Haleyville proud by running his show his way.  It has been our pleasure to have him as long as we have,” Haughton stated. “He will be missed at HMS.”

Wilcoxson’s career 
in education 

A 1990 graduate of Hartselle High School, Wilcoxson attended Snead State and the University of Alabama, where he was a football manager and met Mike Hand, who came to Haleyville High School in the 1990s as head football coach, he recalled.
After Wilcoxson taught a year at Tuscaloosa City Schools then a year at Brilliant, the opportunity came for him to come to Haleyville, Wilcoxson recalled.
When a position became open to teach physical education at Haleyville Elementary, Hand recommended Wilcoxson, who received the job in 1998, Wilcoxson further recalled.
Wilcoxson taught at HES and coached B-team basketball, junior varsity football and track before being transferred in 2000 to HHS, where he taught P.E., Wilcoxson explained.
 After teaching at the high school nine years, Wilcoxson began teaching at the middle school when the school first opened in 2009, he recalled.
Wilcoxson began his career in administration in 2012 as middle school assistant principal under Russ O’Rear for a few months, taking over the role of middle school principal later that year after O’Rear left, he said.
After 14 years as HMS principal, Wilcoxson admitted the decision to retire was a difficult one.
“I have so many close friends, but you just know,” Wilcoxson. “It hit me like a brick wall and I knew it was time.
“It’s a new chapter in life,” he added, “and I am looking forward to whatever God’s plan in life is.”
Looking back, Wilcoxson stated, “First of all, I hope all these kids know how much I loved them and everything I did, I tried to do for their benefit.  I hope I was a positive role model for them.”
Wilcoxson also commended the outstanding faculty and staff at the middle school.