UPDATE #1: Dr. Gilson’s Resignation Letter
Dear Parents, Students, and Staff of Blair Community Schools,
I want to share with you today that I have submitted my resignation as Superintendent of Blair Community Schools. While this was an extremely difficult decision, I want to use this moment to reflect with deep gratitude on what we together have accomplished for our students.
From the beginning, I have believed that students must always come first. Every initiative, partnership, investment, and improvement we have made has centered on their opportunities, their safety, and their future. I could not be more proud of the work we have done as a district and a community.
Over the past several years, we have expanded opportunities for students in ways that have transformed what is possible for their futures. Through strong partnerships, Blair students now have access to rigorous and relevant college dual-credit programs in nursing, healthcare, welding, manufacturing, computer science, automotive collision, and small engines. These pathways have opened doors to high-demand careers while allowing our students to earn thousands of college credits before graduating high school. No matter their dream, we have worked to ensure Blair students have a pathway to pursue it.
We have also invested in our greatest resource—our people. With the board’s support, we raised teacher salaries to the top of the array of schools we are compared against, honoring the outstanding educators who serve our students every day. For our classified staff, we made one of the most important and meaningful changes in recent district history: converting all classified positions if they chose to from 28 hours per week to 40 hours per week and adding full benefits. Additionally, over the past five years, classified pay has increased by more than 40%. These steps have strengthened our workforce, increased stability for families, and ensured that every staff member is valued for the essential role they play in supporting students.
Significant improvements have also been made to the safety, security, and condition of our facilities. Nearly every light districtwide has been converted to energy-efficient LEDs; interior and exterior flooring have been updated across buildings, playgrounds, and Krantz Field; and we have expanded our camera systems to cover nearly every area on school grounds. We have also replaced nearly every bus, van, and small vehicle in our fleet, ensuring safe, reliable, modern transportation for students every day. These upgrades not only enhance safety they ensure our buildings remain welcoming, functional, and modern learning spaces for years to come.
Through careful, strategic financial planning, we have also strengthened the district’s financial stability. Blair Community Schools now maintains over $9 million in cash reserve and is projected to have over $6 million in the building fund. These resources will support long-range safety and facility needs, protect the district during economic shifts, and continue improving the environments where our students learn and grow.
As I prepare for this transition, I want to emphasize what matters most is the students of Blair and they will always remain my top priority. Every decision I made as superintendent was grounded in what was best for them. Thank you for giving my family and me the honor of serving you. This district has been a blessing in our lives, and we are deeply grateful.
With sincere appreciation,
Dr. Randy Gilson
UPDATE #2 – Letter to Parents from the School Board
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We want to inform you that Dr. Gilson submitted his resignation late last week, and the Board of Education accepted his resignation at a meeting earlier today. We are grateful for Dr. Gilson’s contribution and vision during his time in our district, and we wish him and his family all the best in the future.
The Board has contacted the Nebraska Association of School Boards to begin the search for an interim superintendent. We recognize that this is a time of transition, and we want to assure you that our focus remains on providing a stable and supportive learning environment for all students.
Over the next several days, district leadership will be meeting with staff to discuss both short-term and long-term plans. We will share additional information with families as it becomes available and an update on progress will be made at the Board’s regular meeting on December 8.
Thank you for your continued support of our schools and for your partnership during this period of change.
The Blair Community School Board of Education
