Superintendent Don Fowler will hang up his hat and retire from Richland Springs ISD at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Mr. Fowler has served the district for the past 19 years as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent of finance, principal-superintendent, and superintendent. Previously, he served the school district for five years as a school board member.
Mr. Fowler had given no thought to serving as a school board member when he received a phone call from Buster Tripp, who asked him to run for the school board. Though hesitant, Mr. Fowler agreed to give it a try. During his five years of service, the board hired three different superintendents. The school was not successful in athletics or academics at that time. He said, “A little light went off in my brain, ‘ding.’ There was opportunity at Richland Springs for someone who would commit to a small district.”
At the age of 48, Don Fowler decided to become a teacher. He attended Tarleton State University. While teaching at Richland Springs, he continued studying at Tarleton and received his Master of Education degree and his Principal’s certification in 2004. In 2005, he received his Superintendent certification from Angelo State University.
At RSISD, he taught Language Arts, Science, and Spanish in grades 4-12. He was an assistant coach of junior high, junior varsity, and varsity football athletes in 2004 when the R.S. Coyotes won their first State Football Championship. Mr. Fowler served as the U.I.L. Coordinator, and coached U.I.L. Academics in elementary and high school. He also held the position of Booster Club President when his children were in school.
Mr. Fowler has actively participated in and attended every event and activity in which the school participates. As he dons his sombrero, he does the Mexican Hat Dance at the play-off pep rallies, inviting the seniors to join him on the gym floor and takes great pleasure in attempting to “out-dance” them. He wears his cowboy hat and leads a Victory Line at football games and leads the Victory yell to the crowd. A pie in the face, being totally wrapped in toilet paper, singing for the students, working in the concession stand, and collecting ticket money are just part of the job in Mr. Fowler’s opinion.
Mr. Fowler is proud of the great growth of the physical plant during his tenure. In 2014, the district used funds from a fund balance to purchase an additional 4.2 acres, as well as home side bleachers for the football field, a new press-box, and 4 metal stadium lights. New electrical wiring was placed in underground conduit as a safety upgrade. Mr. Fowler said, “I can remember the wonderful feeling of sitting in the new bleachers for the first game and viewing a brightly lit football field. It felt like I was sitting in Baylor Stadium!”
The same year, a bond election passed to build a new elementary school and library. The Wayne Gossett Library is the focal point of the new building. Fowler said, “Building that beautiful, new school by Highway 190 for all to view when passing through Richland Springs was one of the best decisions made by our Board of Trustees.” The remaining bond money was used to demolish and remove two of the three old elementary buildings.
Mr. Fowler's favorite memories of RSISD include the observance of parent involvement and how important it is to student education. He and his wife, the former Barbara Vinklarek, have six children: Kelley, Daniel, Jessica, Andrew, Stephen, and Thomas. Each graduated as either the Valedictorian or Salutatorian of Richland Springs High School. Following and attending academic and athletic events for his own six children created beautiful memories which included successes and defeats. Today, he enjoys watching parents follow their children with the same zeal, and that makes him proud to be a part of the Coyote family.
Continuous growth and improvement in the school has been important to Mr. Fowler during his tenure. He is especially proud of the nine State Football Championships since 2004, the addition of opportunities for students to gain college credits while in high school, the parent-approved drug testing program, the Accelerated Reading program, and the library, the One Act Play and theatre program, the writing for awards program, and the agricultural sciences and FFA program. Mr. Fowler has witnessed these programs win awards at all levels when many of these programs had not won an award in 10 to 20 years when he began his career at RSISD. Mr. Fowler enjoys repeating, “Richland Springs may be a small Class A school, but it has a 6 AAAAAA attitude!”
Superintendent Fowler’s “Philosophy of Education” includes nine points, but he believes that the most important one of all is: “All employees must have the concern and the well-being of students as the first priority.” He said, “I have endeavored to be an asset to any team on which I am placed and to become a great team player who can lead any group to the winner’s circle. We all have different dreams and our individual definition of success, and that somehow makes the world complete. Just make sure you are living your dreams, not someone else’s definition of success. May God bless you on your journey!”
Mr. Don Fowler will soon be wearing his hats for fishing, oil painting, sculpting, tending cattle, and enjoying family fun time. Please join Richland Springs ISD as they honor Superintendent Don Fowler with a celebration reception on Friday, May 21, 2021 in the cafetorium.