Out of all the jobs George Wilson has held in education, there’s never been one he hasn’t enjoyed. 

Wilson has directed the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative for more than seven years. This week, Wilson announced he’ll retire Sept. 30. 

As part of his goodbye, Wilson wanted to share the gratitude he feels to other education professionals.  

“This region is blessed with the absolute best superintendents in the world,” he said, also stressing GRREC wouldn’t be a success without its staff. 

Wilson’s retirement will mark the end of an education career over 20 years old. Before becoming GRREC’s director, Wilson was a superintendent of Monroe County Schools. He’s also been a high school principal, assistant principal at a middle school and a teacher. 

After he retires, he wants to spend more time with his family, especially his two granddaughters. 

“They’re just now reaching school age, and so I want to be a part of their life,” he said. 

He also looks forward to heading back home to his farm in Monroe County where he raises beef cattle. 

Simpson County Schools Superintendent Jim Flynn had kind words to say about Wilson. 

“I appreciate greatly George’s leadership and contributions to GRREC that resulted in benefit to all 42 school districts in the co-op,” Flynn said. 

For Flynn, one of Wilson’s greatest accomplishments was helping secure a federal Race to the Top grant totaling more than $41 million dollars. 

Flynn’s districts was one of the districts in the co-op that benefited from that money. He said it’s helped fuel efforts to personalize learning and leadership education in the district. 

Bowling Green Independent School District Superintendent Gary Fields described Wilson as someone who rose above the call of duty. 

“He always went above and beyond to help me,” Fields said, especially during Fields’ first year as superintendent. 

When it comes to choosing a replacement for Wilson, that will be up to a search committee and the 43 members of GRREC who will get to vote on the next director. That body includes 42 school districts and Western Kentucky University. 

Flynn said a timeline for finding a replacement was decided during a GRECC board meeting Wednesday. A job vacancy will be posted Friday and close out around the end of the month. 

Later, a search committee will narrow down applicants, interview finalists and negotiate with them in August before making a recommendation in early September. Flynn said the new director will set to work around Sept. 19. 

Wilson’s proud of the position GRREC is in now and said it’s become more support and data driven when working with school districts. 

“In the future, I think it will try to fulfill its mission of being on the cutting edge of what’s going on in public education,” he said. 

Above all, he’s proud to spend his career in public education where schools “do the best that we can with everybody,” he said. 

“Bring all of them and we will take them where they are and we will help them grow,” he said.

— Follow Daily News WKU, county schools and general assignment reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @aaron_muddbgdn or visit bgdailynews.com.