The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
After nearly a half-century in education, the only person to have served as principal in both Franklin High Schools is set to retire.
Orvyl Wilson, who started his educational career in 1976 as a teacher in Franklinville and will end it as Director of School Management here in Franklin, will retire at the end of the year.
The move was announced by schools Superintendent John Ravally at the September 26 Board of Education meeting.
“I wish to personally thank Orvyl for his many years of outstanding service, and let him know I was honored to work alongside him for the last decade of his career,” Ravally said. “We realize finding someone like Mr. Wilson, who has been such an effective school leader, will be a challenge for sure. We pledge to do our best to rise to the challenge with the hopes to be in a good position to name his replacement as soon as possible.”
“To Mr. Wilson, although you might be formally leaving us in December, we know you will always be a Warrior of the Light,” he said. “Thanks again for your outstanding service, and we look forward to working with you over the next few months to transition into replacement.”
Wilson was principal at Franklin High School when it was moved from its original location on Francis Street to its current location off Elizabeth Avenue.
Wilson told the Board that he was “honored to have worked in a community that has so much care for all students … every student in this community has the opportunity to be the very best because there are people who care and work to provide opportunities for them to be greater than they think.”
“So I am honored to have worked here and in my career here I have been fortunate to have worked with Board members, principals, administrators, teachers, students, parents, cafeteria, maintenance workers, and it is a big, big pleasure,” he said.
“This has been an amazing, amazing journey working with the community of Franklin Township,” Wilson said. “It’s so diverse, so interesting.”
Board members wished Wilson well, but said they were sorry to see him go.
“Orville, sad to see you go, brother, but you’ve done an amazing job in this district for many decades, and we’re very, very grateful to you,” Board vice-president Sami Shaban said. “Words can’t sort of give you the full magnitude of what you’ve done.”
“We still got a couple of months with you, so I’m not gonna say so long or goodbye right now,” Board member Dr. Dennis Hopkins said. “You have been a champion in the safety committee and have helped us and have helped shape the safety in the district.”
“You have indeed made an impact on this district,” Board member Walter Jackson said. “So we truly appreciate your service. And staying here and doing the work, you truly will be missed.”
“I just want to congratulate you on your upcoming retirement, it’s well earned,” Board member Laurie Merris said. “We will miss you, but if you leave town, you’re in real trouble. We want to know where to find you.”
Wilson was named principal at Franklin High School in 2001 and moved into a district administrative role in 2007.
“So I was the last principal at the old high school and the first principal in the new high school,” he said. “It was a great experience.”
Wilson said he’s going to spend his retirement playing his saxophone – he’s a member of the Franklin Community Band – enjoy being home and traveling with his wife.
“For a minute I want to just enjoy being home,” he said. “So I want to be able to sit on the deck or the patio and kind of watch the sun come up or watch it go down, and read and do some of the things that I really didn’t have the time to do, that I would have loved to do.”
