HOMER — Don’t worry about Tom Davis having something to do when he retires at the end of June as Heritage school district superintendent.
It sounds like he has plenty scheduled.
“My house is for sale right by Homer Lake,” Davis said. “I lived there the whole time (as superintendent), and I have an apartment I’m going to move to on Michigan Avenue in Chicago that faces the lake.”
Davis, who has been a teacher-administrator at Heritage for the last 30 years, including 11 as superintendent, said he also plans to attend as many Chicago pro sports events and concerts as he can.
He also hopes to get the band back together — a tribute band he is a part of up that covers The Who. The band’s name: Fully Lit. Davis said he doesn’t know how they came up with that name because all of its members were fully sober.
Thursday was the last official day at the Heritage helm for Davis, who is 57. Kimberly Norton has succeeded him.
“Our new superintendent, ... I think the world of her,” Davis said. “She’s done a great job” during the last few months shadowing Davis. “She’s been running things now, and I can’t say enough about her.”
A native of St. Charles near Chicago, Davis’ first gig in the education world was as a high school English teacher in DeKalb County.
Davis, who has a glass half-full attitude toward life, spent the last 30 years in a foreign spot for someone who grew up in northern Illinois — the downstate region of Homer and Broadlands, first as an English-computer teacher and coach for 13 years at Heritage before a stint as Heritage High principal and the last 11 as superintendent.
He credited Andy Larson, former Heritage principal-superintendent, whom he called “a great mentor and friend,” for helping him along the way.
Davis originally worked in the computer industry but opted to follow the footsteps of his mother, who was also a teacher, and get into education.
Among his coaching highlights was leading the junior high girls basketball teams to the state finals in 1999.
That same group of players won the regional tournament over Unity as high schoolers.
A lover of sports, Davis also coached the boys junior high track and scholastic bowl teams.
He was also the voice of the Hawks and the Panthers — the latter a result of Heritage’s football coop with Shiloh.
Serving as a school administrator is not easy, and Davis credited the Heritage school board, first led by Keith Rohl and later by John Lannon, for showing “the faith and confidence to hire me.”
The hardest thing about being a superintendent, according to Davis: “You’re kind of the person between the teachers, staff, parents and school board to coordinate with each other.
“It’s leadership, but it’s also coordinating as an intermediary.
“We’ve had a lot of great parents, fantastic students, school board, teachers and staff,” Davis said.
The retiring administrator said a lot of success depends on one’s demeanor.
“One thing I learned at Eastern (Illinois University) in the administrative program: Their No. 1 mantra is you bring your own attitude to work every day.”
There were difficult times, including financial worries as the school district moved toward possible bankruptcy, and the struggle every school official dealt with: the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district successfully weathered those storms — Davis crediting the school board for making changes, including cuts, that righted the district’s ship financially.
Davis is particularly proud that Heritage students missed just one day of in-school attendance during two and a half years of the pandemic.
He started to tear up when he recalled the emotional moment when a large group honored him at a surprise celebration at Riggs Beer Co. in Urbana recently.
“I was shocked, flattered and embarrassed,” Davis said.
“I thought I was going to meet a couple of people with my girlfriend. It will be something I’ll remember forever.”
As the retired life looms, Davis plans to attend lots of Chicago sporting events.
“The fact that the Cubs won a World Series in my lifetime ... that was unbelievable.
“I also want to go to the White Sox, Black Hawks and Bears” games.”
Music plays an equally important part in Davis’ life.
Almost as if by providence, on Davis’ last day at Heritage, the Rolling Stones will be playing at Chicago’s Soldier Field, and he plans to make the drive up for the concert.
“We joked that Mick and Keith did it just for my retirement.”
Despite Davis’ plans to become a northerner again, he said his love for Heritage will not change.
“I’m very excited for the school district. I’m always going to be a Heritage Hawk.”