Schools chief to step down
Griffin to retire after 9 years leading Seminole Co. system
Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Walt Griffin announced Friday morning he will retire next spring after nine years overseeing the district’s highly-touted school system.
In a YouTube video, Griffin noted he wanted to make the announcement last spring, but held off as schools were thrown into emergency distance learning amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
“I will miss you, the wonderful people in this organization, more than anything,” said Griffin, 61.
The exact date for his departure will be determined once the school board sets a timetable for a national search for the next superintendent.
Griffin noted a number of accomplishments he’s proud of, including no longer having any “D” or “F” schools in Seminole, pre-k programs in every elementary school, enhanced physics programs and, this year, the highest graduation rate in the district’s history.
The Seminole school district has earned As from the state for nine of the past 10 years, earning its only lower grade, a B, in 2016.
Griffin said he plans to spend more time with his family after retirement.
“I’m not seeking a larger district or a different job,” he said.
The superintendent role is a demanding one and Griffin said he missed a lot as a father and a grandfather.
Now, with a fourth grandchild on the way and the school board in place until the 2022 election, seemed like a good time to go.
“I wanted this board to pick the new superintendent,” he said. “It’s just time for me to put my energy toward my family.”
Griffin spent 40 years as an educator, including 37 in Seminole County. He worked as a math teacher before taking on a number of administrative roles, including serving as principal of Millennium Middle School and Seminole High School.