Ronnie Coots

THREE RIVERS AREA — Ronnie Coots hoped “to go quietly into the night” when he retires from the Batesville School District at the end of June, but his superintendent had other thoughts and sought to make the public aware of Coots’ 40-year career in education.

“I’m a behind-the-scenes man,” Coots said with a smile. Coots is director of business and information for the district.

“You cannot replace Ronnie Coots,” said Randy Willison, district superintendent. “He is an outstanding educator and has been an important member of our organization for a long time. This is just my second year here, and for me personally, he made it easy for me to step into the job. He is a valuable asset to our school district and will be greatly missed.”

Born in Searcy, Coots is one of eight children born to Tressie Coots of Batesville and the late I.J. Coots. Ronnie Coots graduated from Mount Pleasant High School and attended the two-year Southern Baptist College in Walnut Ridge (now know as Williams Baptist College) on a basketball scholarship. He graduated from the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville (now the University of the Ozarks) in 1972.

Coots married his high-school sweetheart, the former Connie Lovelady, in January 1972. The daughter of the late B.J. and Ouida Lovelady of Guion, Connie also graduated from the College of the Ozarks in 1972.She and Ronnie both took teaching positions at Sulphur Rock, where he also coached basketball.

“We were poor as church mice when we got married,” Ronnie Coots said. “I managed to buy a 1972 Chevelle Super Sport, four-speed. I’ve still got it, and it still runs.

“I’ve been offered a lot of money for it,” he said, smiling.

“It’s orange and white - school colors for Batesville.

“I coached there for six years and then got into administration. I went back to college and became principal at Sulphur Rock, serving for eight years there.” Coots earned a master’s degree in education from Arkansas State University and received his administrator’s license in 1976.

“I moved to Batesville High School as principal in 1986 and remained there for 18 years,” he said. “I moved here to the district office eight years ago.” Coots said he became interested in computers while he was principal at Batesville High School and, in fact, had the first computer in the state to keep up with attendance and grades.

“That computer program just grew and grew at the state level, and that’s what led me into this position with the district,” he said.

He said he missed “the kids” when he moved into administration.

“I got to know them pretty well,” he said. “Now, some of those same kids, from both Sulphur Rock and Batesville, are teaching for us.

“I used to tease the kids who came to the PTO coffees with their parents, that I knew their parents ‘back when’ and could tell some stories on them. I told the kids, ‘If they give you any trouble, just let me know.’” The Sulphur Rock School District was annexed in 2005by the Batesville School District, as was the Cushman School District in 2009. The Batesville district, which continues to have an elementary school in Sulphur Rock, serves approximately 3,000 students.

Coots said he has seen many changes in the school system since he began teaching.

“The first change is that teachers now have to take a teacher’s test to be able to teach,” he said. “Then came the state standards and now the common core standards. There has also been the development of an ethics committee, which is a good thing.”

Upcoming changes in the school district include the addition of several classrooms to Batesville High School.

“With the addition of the students from Sulphur Rock and Cushman, we needed more room, from the elementary campuses to the high school campus,” Coots said. “We are adding 10 classrooms and two science labs to the high school building.”

Coots is a member of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators and the Arkansas Association of School Business Officials. He and his wife are members of West Baptist Church in Batesville.

When asked what he plans to do upon retirement, Coots said sheepishly: “Anything I want to do.”

“Forty years is a long time to do anything,” he said. “I’ve always worked on a 12-month contract, so I’ve never really taken a vacation. I’m looking forward to working around the house and perhaps doing some traveling. Connie retired last year after 39 years in education.

“I thought I’d let her try it out first,” he said with a laugh. She taught fifth grade and specialized in science and literacy for the last few years.

“We’re in the early stages of talking about a cruise to Alaska, - maybe this year or next,” he said.

The couple’s children, Amy and Ike, graduated from Batesville High School. Amy works for a title abstract and deed company in Jonesboro, and Ike is a physician’s assistant in Oklahoma City.

“They would never come around while I was principal,” he said. “Most of their classmates never knew I was their dad. It was pretty neat being their principal and presenting them with their diplomas. I was pretty proud.”

Coots said two of his siblings also went to college and became teachers. His brother, Gary Coots of Batesville, retired last year as an elementary school principal in the Batesville School District. His sister, Joan Hunter of Bryant, is retired after 28 years in the Bryant School District.

Coots’ other siblings are Dick Coots of Floral, Jerry Coots of Cave City, Sandy Holder of Malvern, the late Jack Coots of Malvern and the late Peggy Gould of Floral.

“Dad worked on the pipeline and bought and sold cattle,” Coots said.

“In the summer, he would take the whole family to work in the orchards in Wenatchee, Wash.”

After a life of work, retiring wasn’t an immediate decision.

“It’s not as easy as you might think,” Coots said of retiring. “I’ll be 62 in December. I’ve had friends and colleagues - some older, some younger - die over the past few years. You just never know. Anything can happen. I decided to try retirement a little early.

“I am going to miss all the teachers and co-workers. I’ve got many good friends here.”

up close

getting to know

Ronnie Coots Birth date: Dec. 11, 1950 Birthplace: Searcy Family: Wife, Connie; daughter, Amy, 37; and son, Ike, 32 Parents: Tressie Coots of Batesville and the late I.J. Coots. My mother, who is 94, still calls me up and gets onto me.

Hobbies: Golf, fishing and hunting When I grew up, I wanted to be: I was not sure. When I was young, we went to Wenatchee, Wash., in the summer to pick apples, but before long, I decided I ought to find something else to do.

Biggest influence in life: My Dad. He was very supportive. He believed in education.