Heritage Superintendent Tom Davis Announces Retirement After 30 Years of Diverse Service and Dedication
By FRED KRONER
He was a coach, a teacher, and an administrator.
He was a fan, a friend, and a faithful servant.
Soon, Heritage Superintendent Tom Davis can add to his already lengthy list of achievements.
Retiree.
Davis will end his 30-year commitment to the school district in a little more than 90 days. At the end of June, it will be the end of an era for the beloved person who wore more hats than the days of the week.
His retirement will create a void even as others are hired to step in and handle his duties.
Athletic director Lori Archer – who is also retiring in June – described the person she has worked with for three decades.
“He is dedicated to his profession, to the school, to his employees, to the athletes, to the students, to making everyone around him better to being a better person,” she said.
“I can’t think of anyone who loves his job, district, staff and students as much as Tom.”
He is not a superintendent – and before that a principal – who stays in his office, leaving only for a lunch break or at the end of the day.
Davis is an active part of the building and the operations.
He has served the district as the technology coordinator since his arrival.
That job was also the first one he began training for after graduating from St. Charles High School in 1984.
“Computers were then, and of course today, a hot career to enter,” Davis said. “I thought I was pretty good at technology coming out of high school and in college.
“It was a tough program. The computers would seem ancient today with punch cards and amber monitors. I kept thinking while working hundreds of hours in the computer lab at Northern Illinois University that there had to be more with people I could be doing.”
Davis nonetheless earned his bachelor’s degree in his chosen area and got a job.
“I decided after being in the work world after NIU to go back to school for education (which he did at Illinois State University),” Davis said. “My mom was a teacher in St. Charles.
“I had her for class and so did many of my friends and they all liked her, so it was a natural move.”
His career switch was in progress.
“I’m glad I went back to ISU, which has always been one of the best education and teaching schools in the Midwest, and I never regretted not working more in the computer field,” Davis said. “And at Heritage, I have been the tech coordinator for all my 30 years, so I ended up using a lot of that tech background anyways.”
Davis made sure that the Heritage students were aware of him by attending plays, concerts, ball games and other events.
“He is usually the first person at a Heritage event and the last one to leave,” Archer said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a home or an away game, a junior high or high school game, a scholastic bowl match, a band competition, a concert, a play, or a school dance, he is always there to support everyone involved.
“That is the one thing that I have always admired about him. It’s hard to find anyone that has been as dedicated or loved our district as much as Tom.”
When he’s in the audience, Davis is paying attention.
“The great part of education has always been seeing students grow and succeed whether in the classroom, in a music or drama performance, or on the field or court,” Davis said. “The most emotional and pride I always feel is at High School graduation as our students complete their Heritage journey and start out to whatever is next.”
He didn’t have perfect attendance at all Heritage athletic events. He missed the championship game of the 2011 boys’ basketball tournament at Lovington.
“I was actually on the way to the game that Saturday night, getting an oil change at Walmart in Urbana and was just getting ready to head to the game,” Davis recalled.
A phone call from his brother, Marty, changed his direction.
“My brother called and said our dad (Ralph Davis) had died from a massive stroke, and I never made it to the game,” Davis said. “It’s probably the only trophy or plaque I didn’t get to see us raise in my career, as we won the tournament.
“When I saw the team picture sent to me that night with all the players and coaches and cheer squad, I wept with sadness and joy.”
Two years later, Tom Davis became the Heritage superintendent, which was bittersweet.
“My one regret is my dad did not live to see me make Superintendent,” Tom Davis said. “My dad would have loved to talk about the business of being a Superintendent, taxes and budgets and technology.
“These were things he loved working with for Illinois Bell, in Chicago, for his career before he retired.”
Many of the vivid memories Davis retains from his days as an athlete were factors in his decision to enter the coaching world after starting at Heritage.
He had numerous highlights.
Davis scored a touchdown in his first football game at St. Charles.
“I scored on a fumble recovery,” Davis said. “I got up to spike the ball like all my Bears and NFL heroes and the referee was standing right there.
“I sheepishly handed him the ball as he was not having any celebrations back then.”
In the winter, Davis devoted his time to the hardwood.
“I also love basketball and played until somehow everyone grew taller and I stayed 5-foot-10 or so,” he said. “Dr. J (Julius Erving) was my favorite right up until a guy named Jordan came on the scene with the Bulls.”
His best sport was baseball, which he also played for two years at Elgin Community College.
“I had a great senior year (at St. Charles) and played in our Upstate 8 Conference all-star game,” Davis said. “We lost our senior year in the regional championship, but junior year summer varsity, which we had then long before travel ball changed everything, I had the winning hit at Benet Academy and we advanced to the sectional.”
After graduating from ISU Cum Laude in English with Secondary Teaching, Davis taught English and coached football and girls’ basketball for two years at Genoa-Kingston before relocating from the DeKalb area to Central Illinois for the job at Heritage.
He was originally hired to teach English and Computers with Keyboarding.
From there, his duties multiplied. His after-school hours began to be filled with coaching.
“My best coaching memory is making it to the IESA State Finals in 1999 with our junior high girls’ basketball team,” Davis said. “Candi and Carmen McGee, who would go on to play and win a regional at Heritage High School and star in college, were our two top scorers and coaching those years in junior high was fantastic.
“I was an assistant as those girls moved up to the high school, and the night we beat Unity at Broadlands in 2004 for the regional title, with Unity missing a shot at the buzzer, will live in my memory bank forever.
“Candi was the Player of the Year for the News-Gazette that year and it was all the same girls I had coached through junior high and helping at the high school, so that was gratifying.”
Davis didn’t originally intend to finish his career in education at Heritage. After being raised in the Fox Valley area, about 30 miles west of Chicago, he thought about returning to that area.
“I actually contemplated leaving to move back up to the suburbs,” Davis said. “It was nothing with Heritage, more life and relationship, but after being offered positions up there a couple of times, I’m glad I stayed.
“I had no idea it would end up being as an administrator. I was still a teacher and coach then, but I would say 100 percent it has been working with fantastic, caring people at both school sites and our students and parents, who have always worked so hard.”
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So, who is this person who has earned the respect and admiration of students and staff alike as well as community members in the Heritage district, which has students who reside in four counties (Champaign, Douglas, Edgar and Vermilion)?
“I think his years of service to Heritage says a great deal about his character, loyalty, and love for his profession and our district,” Archer said. “He works tireless hours and would be the first person to be there when any member of our district needed someone.
“His support for the teachers, coaches, athletes, and students is unlimited. I have been lucky to work with and for him, but even luckier to be able to call him a friend.”
Andy Place, a Heritage graduate (Class of 1998) and later a coach at his alma mater, said Davis made his priorities clear.
“He cared about the kids,” Place said. “He was always super-positive and super-supportive.
“It would be hard to find someone who was more supportive and caring.”
To hear Davis, however, he envisioned a different career path than education in his younger years.
“I love two things, sports and rock and roll,” Davis said.
A fan of both Chicago major league baseball teams, he was in his glory in 2016 when the Cubs captured the World Series crown.
“As for rock and roll, I know I don’t look the part, but my dream job was to be rhythm guitar player in the Rolling Stones or The Who,” Davis said.
The competition was too stiff.
“They have it covered with Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Pete Townshend, all legends, but I figured I could contribute maybe off to the side,” Davis said.
He was still able to get on stage and perform.
“I played guitar in a Who tribute band up north for a while, but eventually had to give that up when supervision as Principal and then Superintendent got so busy,” Davis said.
He has equal passion for listening to the professional musicians as he does for playing.
“For decades I have traveled to concerts of my favorite groups – or of the living members left in those groups — many times driving to Chicago or Indy or St. Louis after school, seeing the concert, driving home that late night, and then being back at school the next morning,” Davis said. “And to make it more crazy, sometimes it was up to Chicago and back, then work, and then on to St. Louis or Indy for the next night’s show as the bands covered the Midwest.”
Despite the hectic pace, Davis rarely missed a day of work.
“I have two years of sick time accumulated, so that’s something I’m proud of that allows me to retire at 57 in place of having to work two or three more years under the TRS guidelines,” said Davis, who has traveled beyond the Midwest to quench his music passions.
“I’ve also been to London twice to see all the legendary rock and roll sites, from Abbey Road where the Beatles recorded to the Marquee where the Stones first played together in 1962 to Olympic Studios where Led Zeppelin, The Who, the Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton all recorded legendary albums.
“I am a huge music collector too, so that will need to downsize in retirement.”
Davis is treating himself to an early retirement present.
“The Stones are scheduled for two concerts in Chicago at Soldier Field June 27 and June 30, and I plan on being at both,” he said. “It’s nice of Mick Jagger and the guys to schedule these conveniently during my last days of work life, especially since they don’t seem to ever want to retire themselves.”
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When Davis made the move from the classroom to the administrative ranks, he said he had the good fortune to come under the tutelage of some exemplary role models.
He started on the journey by taking classes through Eastern Illinois University.
“I absolutely loved the program and department for educational administration, especially my advisor Dr. Robert ‘Nick’ Osborne, who was also my Principal and Superintendent mentor through my first years of each position here at Heritage,” Davis said. “I owe being an administrator to my mom and dad, who helped pay for grad school and encouraged and supported me throughout, Andy Larson and Chris Kerns, who were the Heritage admins above me when I came on in 2007 as Assistant Principal, and most of all Dr. Allen Hall, who mentored me when I was High School Principal while he was our interim Superintendent after Andy Larson left for Tolono Unity.
“Both Andy and I can not express what it was to both be mentored and taught by Allen Hall, and we all speak to this day on whatever is happening in education.”
As he prepares for the next chapter in his life, Davis is looking forward to moving closer to family.
“My only plan so far has been to sell my house near Homer Lake and move to Chicago for a while so I can be closer to family and also to the sports and music that the city has to offer,” he said. “I love Central Illinois, just time for an adventure, and living in a high rise in Chicago has always been a dream. Now I will have the freedom and finances to do that.”
Davis is looking forward to a break and doesn’t expect to immediately return to work.
“I don’t plan right now to work in education again, though maybe substitute teaching in the future,” he said. “To be honest, after COVID, I think a lot of administrators and teachers may need a break when they make it to retirement.”
Regardless of where he calls home, he will be following the exploits of the school district where he worked for three decades.
“I will definitely still be a high Hawks supporter,” Davis said. “We have kids coming up who will do fantastic things. And the best part of administration has been seeing all the great victories, but also the grace and sportsmanship and effort I see when we don’t win.
“Any kid who has done a sport or activity for Heritage to me is a hero and they have always had my support.”
He is not without goals and a wish list to fulfill as he prepares to vacate his Heritage office.
“At 57 and after the stress of being an administrator for so long (17 years with 11 as Superintendent), some goals include concentrating on living a more healthy life and to exercise regularly,” Davis said. “I have had some heart issues, but have worked with wonderful people at Carle to address it so I am hoping to have a long healthy retirement.
“Traveling to see more sports and rock and roll concerts and sites will be great. I want to go to both (Chicago) baseball parks often, maybe even starting this July and I want to travel to some more stadiums around the country and see games.
“I also want to be the best uncle and brother I can to my family members, and I’ll be able to visit my mom all the time come July. She’s 94 and lives in a nursing home in Crystal Lake. When I get to see her and share what’s happening, that is joyous.”
Davis has no regrets about stepping aside, but that doesn’t mean the decision was easy.
“I will miss the amazing people at Heritage and my fellow Superintendents in Champaign ROE and the area tremendously,” Davis said. “I know that, and they have my unending respect. It’s hard to leave that aspect.
“To work with Kristi Sanders, Corey White and Ryan Peyton who have been the Principals, I can not express how great they have been.
“And the Heritage School Board has been fantastic to me and showed faith even in tough times and as a rookie back in 2013 when I moved up.”
Archer said it is fitting that the career of two iconic veterans will end simultaneously.
“He and I started together 30 years ago, so it seems appropriate to be going out together,” Archer said. “He will no doubt be irreplaceable and greatly missed.”
Former Heritage coach Lisa Boyer believes the longevity of Davis and Archer is not a coincidence.
“When you get administrators who are in it together and are loyal to each other, that’s part of why they’d stay,” Boyer said. “They knew they could work well together.”
