Dr. Tracy Bottoms plans to retire as superintendent of the Montgomery County R-II School District after the 2024-2025 school year, wrapping up an education career that began in 1996.

The 51-year-old Bottoms made his announcement to retire at a school board meeting on Sept. 12. He became R-II superintendent just four years ago, replacing Dr. Mike Gray.

“My mom told me one time, ‘You’ll know when it’s time.’ I can feel it myself,” Bottoms said. “For me, it’s time. I feel like personally, it’s time for me to think about what’s next in my life, like spending more time with family and doing some things.”

Bottoms had worked the last four years leading the Monroe City School District before taking over superintendent duties at R-II on July 1, 2020. During Bottoms’ tenure at R-II, the district had many highlights, such as getting a no-tax increase bond issue passed and opening the A.C.H.I.E.V.E. alternative school and a daycare center at Montgomery City Elementary School.

“I feel like the district is in a good spot,” Bottoms said. “I believe this will be a very attractive job for someone who wants to come here and be a superintendent.”

Bottoms said a new hire for R-II superintendent could be made by Christmas break.

“They got a pretty good timeline set up,” Bottoms said. “The board will do their diligence. We had a community survey and had a staff survey because in the board survey that they put out tried to gather peoples’ thoughts about what they are looking for in a superintendent. They’ll have all of that data to review and to bring back to the board for the hiring process to try to match those candidates with what the community and the staff are looking for. I think the board is in a very good spot to get that person hired.”

Bottoms grew up in Raleigh, N.C. before moving to Missouri in 1983. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in education at Northwest Missouri State University, Bottoms started his 29-year education career at the Paris R-II School District. He also worked as a superintendent at the Keytesville R-III School District for five years.

“I have 29 years where I get up everyday and I’m excited about going to work,” Bottoms said. “I enjoy what I do. I enjoy working with our staff and I enjoy kids. I always tell myself when I don’t have as much joy about going to work, then it would be time. After 29 years of public education, I reached the point where I know that it’s time for me to step aside and let somebody else lead this district. I’ll step into something different and go be a spectator and go be a grandparent and support this district the best I can moving forward for whoever takes over.”

Bottoms said his mother, Cora Parker, who passed away in 2015, was a big influence to him during his educational career.

“My mom was a genius,” Bottoms said. “It took me until I was 22-23 years old to figure out how smart my momma was. She was really smart. I think about that every day. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t think about her. When she was alive, we would talk every single day. I would call her when I was going to meetings and check on her.”

Bottoms’ last day as superintendent will be June 30, 2025. He said one of his goals during retirement is to become an advocate for education.

“Maybe I’ll have some opportunities within education to continue to work with districts, schools, superintendents or boards at some level down the road,” said Bottoms, who has two grandchildren attending schools in the R-II district. “I would be excited about working with kids at schools at some level. But I don’t have to be in charge.”