Retiring for Real

Crystal Canterbury
On his way to work at Ocracoke School
On his way to work at Ocracoke School

In a few months Walt Padgett will retire – really this time, he assured – from Ocracoke School.

He’s well recognized around the island and has become an island staple, and is an advocate for students, athletes, and teachers who have all made the school shine. Soft spoken and kind, he rallies around the school and holds a deep respect for military veterans, American and foreign. Padgett is always dressed to the nines at school, but is known to also wear tees and shorts while maintaining the school grounds. So how did this man with a Southern-drawl and an unfailing love for the Tennessee Volunteers end up on a remote barrier island?

Born in Irwin, Tennessee - a small town across the line from Asheville, NC – he lived there for the first 14 years of his life. Much of his family worked for the railroad, and his father did, too.  The Clinchfield Railroad, as it was called then, was a major employer and transferred his dad to Virginia. The Padgetts settled in a small coal mining town called Saint Paul with a small but powerful school in academics and athletics. Walt spent the next four years at the school and graduated in 1971. From there, he attended Ferrum Junior College in Rocky Mount, VA, which is now a four-year college.

During his time there, Walt played baseball and football, both of which were successful programs. “Back in the day, when I was there, we were runners-up for the national championship my freshman year, but it wasn’t because of me. But, BUT I was part of the team. I was a young seventeen-year-old and we had a bunch of prior service guys,” many of whom had been to Vietnam, aged no more than 20 or 21. These young service members in part motivated Walt to join the military. Padgett admits the other motivating factor that propelled him to join the service was poor grades, “primarily because I didn’t go to class," but, with a bit of mischief in his tone, “I got a great education,” he said.

He attended three separate schools during his late-teens, but a truly life-altering moment came when he was pumping gas in Castlewood, VA. “So, I’m pumping gas and my dad pulls up, and I go be-bopping out and said ‘Do ya want me to filler her up, buddy?’” to which his father replied, “Get in the car.” Walt immediately got into the car and was driven around to the rear of the small service station. Chuckling, Walt explained that his dad gave him two choices. He told his son, “You can go back to school and end up here pumping gas – not that there’s anything wrong with that – or you can go into the military and end up doing anything damn thing you want. Now, go tell them you quit.” Walt went in and explained what was transpiring to the owners, saying, “My dad is telling me I’m going in the military, and I don’t think I’ll be giving you a two-week notice because I’m pretty sure I’m leaving today.”

When Walt returned home he found a sandwich and his mom, who was crying. “I went upstairs to take a shower, put on clothes my mom had laid out for me, ate a sandwich, some chips, drank a glass of milk, got in the car, and she [his mother] is bawling her eyes out! We drive to Johnson City, TN, and the recruiter knew I was coming! I end up taking all these tests, staying the night, and go back in the next day.”

Walt explained that his dad left that morning. The next day Walt was on a bus to Knoxville to take more tests, on all of which he scored high. He did so well on his tests he was given the option to work in military intelligence. “Next thing I know, I’m on a plane from Knoxville, TN to Columbia, SC, and a week later I’m running up a hill with a duffle bag and some big guy – who looked like he was a WWF champion – was cussing everybody out, including me! And I’m thinking, ‘How the hell did this happen?’”

As teenagers tend to do, Walt believed his parents weren’t the “sharpest tools in the shed” and they didn’t know what they were talking about. He explained that it didn’t take him long to realize that, “My dad wasn’t as dumb as I thought he was. By the time I got out of the military, he was the smartest guy I’d ever met.” Walt stayed in the military and planned to work with military intelligence, but instead went to jump school, and then Special Forces training. “I enjoyed my military time. The military was the best thing that ever happened to me. I grew up, and I really started growing up in Basic Training.”

After the military Walt went back to college. His passion and desire to be involved in football was still intense, so he enrolled at Emory and Henry, in Virginia. After Emory, he attended East Tennessee University where he completed degrees in Physical Education, History, and Elementary Education. Walt then went on to teach and coach from 1979-1997. “I taught history for a couple years then became the head coach for both baseball and football at the school,” he said. He also taught physical education and driver’s education courses. “During my career, I coached at three different schools.” 

Playing in the Cops vs. Coaches fundraiser for Ocracoke School
Playing in the Cops vs. Coaches fundraiser for Ocracoke School

He then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Administration from Radford University, which he completed in 1996, and was an assistant principal from 1997-1999 at a high school. “I then spent four years as the principal at a middle school from 1999-2004. Then, I was at a high school until I retired in 2010 from the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he said. Next, wanting to continue working, Padgett found his way to Ocracoke. 

Padgett talked to Hyde County in February of 2010, but having not heard back from the Board of Education, he turned his attention to Hoke County.  In July, he was contacted and given details of how to reach the island, including the vehicle ferry. “I love the coast, but I’d never been down Highway 12,” he said.

After hearing about how one drives on and off the ferry and the remoteness of the island, Padgett thought to himself, “What the heck is this place?” He came down for an interview, prepared for all types of questions about academics, but was surprisingly asked about how he would improve the ESL department. “Well heck!” he told me, “I came from the coal fields of Virginia! We had two kids there who could speak six languages only because their dad was a doctor. It felt like I was there for 15 minutes, trying to answer, but it was more like 15 seconds.” 

He answered honestly saying he had very little experience with ESL students, but he’d do whatever it took to make the department and students successful. After the interview, Walt and his family left on the Cedar Island leaving Ocracoke, where he became terribly seasick. Several days later, once they were settled in a hotel on the mainland, Walt received a call from the superintendent of Hyde County Schools and was offered the principal position. He stayed as the principal through 2012, then retired and left to help his father, whose health was declining. He spent one year as a college career coach back home and worked alongside veterans associations while being with his dad.

The Ocracoke School seniors had asked Padgett to come back and speak at their commencement. While here, in June of 2013, he learned the sitting principal had resigned and talked with the Hyde County Board of Education and Ocracoke School teachers about returning as the principal. He was offered and accepted the job, saying, “I have no regrets. I love Ocracoke. I feel like I’ve worked to help make Ocracoke School a better place.”

He’s improved much of the grounds, helped the vocational education department expand their space, partnered the school with WOVV, which will eventually lead to a communications department, and alongside school counselor Mary McKnight, the school was able to begin offering college courses to the high schoolers.  Some students have earned college credits in high school that equate to two or three years of college, setting them up for early graduation from a college or university.

Recently, local new outlet WITN recognized all the teachers Ocracoke School in their Teacher of the Week spotlight, a well-earned distinction following the vast academic accomplishments of the students. Over his tenure as principal, Padgett has helped Coach Adam Burleson to expand team sports. Baseball and soccer are new programs,  while the established basketball, track, and volleyball teams have become powerhouse competitors.

“I was blessed to have this opportunity, and getting a grade of A and then B on the state report card was each an academic highlight,” he said. He continued by explaining it takes a village. “Ocracoke Village has stepped up.” He commended the joint efforts between the PTA, Athletic Boosters, the community in general, parents, teachers, staff, and students for making the school unlike any other. “Unless you’ve been to other schools, you may not know how special Ocracoke School is, but it is truly special and I’ve been blessed to be a part of it,” he said.

After retiring from the school, Walt is going to rent a small apartment in the village and take about six months off to figure out what retirement is like. While he’s getting settled into retirement, he plans to be in San Diego during football season, “just because.” He’s also looking into HR jobs in California where he would work with veterans, but first he wants, “to see how retirement actually feels." He continued by saying he can, “travel when I want to, I can sleep in when I want to, workout when I want to; shoot! I can take a nap whenever I want to!”

About retiring on August 1st, Padgett said, “It’s time, and now I have the opportunity to do all the things I want to do."  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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