It's a familiar adage that we hope to leave a place better than we found it.
That can certainly be said of Armstrong-Ringsted superintendent Randy Collins.
When Collins signed on as superintendent six years ago, his goal was to remain six years - until his daughter graduated from A-R.
And his timing couldn't have been better.
After helping broker a whole-grade sharing agreement with North Kossuth and Sentral school districts that will bring in $1.4 million to the three districts over the next seven years, Collins is taking a shared superintendent's position at Akron-Westfield and West Sioux. He's had firsthand experience with that sort of position, of course, by sharing his splitting his duties between A-R and Graettinger-Terrill.
Collins is also helping the three districts take a huge step forward by taking his new position - something that opens the door for consolidating top administrative staff.
Not just A-R, but all three districts owe a huge debt of gratitude to Collins for steering through the rocky shoals toward a successful whole-grade sharing agreement.
Collins would be first to deny the impact he has had - and the first to give credit elsewhere. He praises former board president Rod Foster and current board president Jim Boyer for their tireless work in making the three-way whole-grade sharing agreement happen.
And then there's the students . . .
A lot of credit has to go to A-R and NSK students too for painlessly - and seemingly effortlessly - coming up with a new mascot, colors and name for their new athletic program which will probably eventually become the name of the new district once all phases of consolidation are complete - the North Union Warriors.
Green, black and silver will be the new school colors.
The mascot logo is yet to be rendered - undoubtedly art students will have a big hand in that as well.
Great job, kids, in making a great choice. And great job, administrators, in having the people who really count make the decision - the students.