MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The superintendent of the Martin County School District spoke Wednesday with WPTV, a day after he abruptly announced that he is resigning at the end of June.
Dr. John Millay said he's been reflecting on this decision for a while and wanted to give the board enough time to find a replacement.
"It's been a joy and of course it's been a challenge," Millay said. "Most just do it a couple of years, to do it 17 consecutively, it's been quite a ride."
He worked as a school superintendent in Kentucky before coming to Martin County in 2020.
His resignation will take effect one year before his contract was set to expire.
WPTV asked if he feels burned out by the job.
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"You know, I don't, you just kind of know sometimes when there is good timing," Millay said. "But I have energy every day, but of course it gets long. My days, like a lot of superintendents, you have a lot of 20-hour days, and they go back to back to back. Every day what keeps my focus is our kids, you can have the politics and the noise and issues going on, but I just try to, around all of that, the focus stays on our kids."
He said you have to "find the joy" in the job, which he has.
Some of the achievements in the district during his tenure include new reading and math programs and cultivating relationships.
He said he'll miss the people he works with the most, especially the students. Millay said the district is bigger than just one person and assures parents that their kids will be in good hands moving forward.
So, did the political climate in Florida and culture wars in the classroom play a role in his decision?
"I think that just plays a role in everyday life for everyone," Millay responded. "Let's face it, that's just a constant whether it's our state or around the U.S., or the world, there's always going to be some type of conflict."
Following some long days on the job, Millay looks forward to a less rigorous schedule.
"Every day, all of us, as we age a little bit, you have things happen in your life, close friends and family, and you kind of reflect a little bit that are you giving your whole life balance," the outgoing superintendent said. "So, I look forward to having a little more balance too."
His last day on the job is June 30.
The school board is expected to discuss the next steps in a superintendent search during a meeting in March.