For more than an hour before Thursday evening’s Board of Education meeting, friends and colleagues greeted retiring Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles Wilson with many good wishes and some hugs during his “Charting a New Course” reception.

It was moored inside a large conference room at the complex that houses the BOE central offices. Decorative items and even a tray of cookies that looked like oysters with pearls carried a coastal theme, and the invitation had called on people to help wish Wilson “fair winds and following seas as he retires and sets a course for his next chapter.”

Exactly where that course will take him beyond spending time his wife, Lora Wilson, and their grandchildren and fishing on the coast with his son remained somewhat a mystery. Charles Wilson, who will be 59 in May, is retiring effective March 31 after 30 years employment with the Bulloch County school district, including the last 14 years as its superintendent.

“First of all, we’re staying here in Statesboro,” Wilson said. “My son and his family are down in Savannah, we’ve started fishing together down there, just found something that we can do, and I started talking to Lora about that, you know, ‘What’s holding us back? Why don’t we get a boat? Let’s just kind of focus on just spending some time down at the coast and fishing.’”

That was said quietly to a reporter whose reporting has made details of Wilson’s contracts, including his salary, probably the most public of any local public officials’ for the past decade-plus, but who has never pried for personal details. We did learn or were reminded that this Wilson is Charles Wilson Jr., that he and Lora have been married just over seven years but both have grown-up children and now, grandchildren, with two in Savannah being the children of Charles “Chas” Wilson III, who apparently also likes boats and fishing.

The retiring superintendent repeated that he and Lora, who was there with her, or their, daughter-in-law Abby Clifton, plan on remaining in Statesboro.

“And I plan to continue working,” Wilson continued. “I’m looking into some options on what I’m going to do. So, anyway, just trying to simplify life, and next step, something different. We’re doing some things to kind of simplify our lives and take it easier and enjoy more time with the family.”

Originally from South Carolina, Wilson started his Bulloch County career three decades ago as the school system’s chief financial officer and then assistant superintendent of business services. After serving in those roles for 16 years, he was selected by the Board of Education in 2012 from a pool of 33 applicants to lead the district as superintendent. 
He had attained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Citadel and an MBA from Georgia Southern University, where while serving the school district he also earned a specialist’s degree in education. A certified public accountant, Wilson has also maintained his CPA credential. 

So, whether those “other options” have more to do with educational leadership or the business side, or maybe fishing, wasn’t immediately obvious.

Retirees at reception

Somehow, a retirement reception tends to bring out other previous and soon-to-be retirees.

Mary Henley retired in November 2023 after having served 26 years as administrative assistant to the superintendent. She came to see former co-workers and wish Wilson, the fourth and final superintendent she worked with, well.

“He’s done a lot for the system, especially financially, you know, with his background,” Henley said. “The financial piece has been something that’s been needed, and he has steered the course over the years, knew what he was doing, and as far as that’s concerned, he kept us afloat.”

Jimmy “Jay” Cook Jr., now in his 12th year as Board of Education member from District 6, is in the process of retiring from two different roles in 2026.

Asked about Wilson’s retirement, Cook said, “You know, I’m just so excited for him for his new venture, I’m excited that he’s done such a great job for our community, for our kids. He’s a very caring person, and he has everybody at the center of his heart.”

The previous week, candidate qualifying time, Cook had made one of his own retirement decisions final by not signing up to seek a fourth term.

So Sharon Draeger, after signing up and paying the candidate fee, stands unopposed to take Cook’s place on the board in January 2027. Draeger, a retired educator, works part-time as program manager for the nonprofit Behavioral Pediatric Resource Center.

Cook is also set to retire during the year from Truist Bank in Statesboro, and thus from a 40-year career in banking. For 30 of those years he has worked at the same local bank through two changes of corporate identity, from First Bulloch to BB&T to Truist. Before First Bulloch, he worked 10 years with Sea Island Bank, which became Synovus.

Cook said he’s found that a number of people were upset with his decision to leave the school board “especially the business people.”

But his retirement decisions follow the death of his father last year, and with the knowledge that his mother is “maturing” and other changes in his family, and he prayed about it.

“My wife still has about eight years to work,” Cook said. “I’m going to do for myself. I’ve 30 years at the bank. So I’m good. I’ve done my part. It’s time for somebody else to have their chance.”

Gwen Lane, who retired – twice, actually – from teaching in the Bulloch County Schools, now works for Pineland Behavioral Health/Developmental Disabilities, with adults at the High Hope Center and other locations. She had 28 years with the local schools, after retiring first in 2001 and coming back in 2017. Teaching in Emanuel County and in Oklahoma gave her more than 30 years total.

Lane first said her advice for Wilson would be “Don’t be like me and retire and then go back, just enjoy those days.” But she then indicated she personally wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’m not the kind of person to just sit and do nothing,” Lane said.  “I have to have this, and it keeps my mind going, and to keep up with the change of things, all that new technology. … Most people retire, and after six months they find something else to do. I could see him coming back as a consultant.”

Benjy Thompson, CEO of the Development Authority of Bulloch County, attended the reception and then went on to the Board of Education meeting, where he delivered a $1.8 million check for “payment in lieu of taxes” paid by three industries. Look for more about that soon in a separate story.

In remarks supplied in late October 2025 when Wilson announced his retirement plans, Thompson asserted that Wilson “has been an outstanding superintendent for not only our school system, but also for our community. …

“He supported the strong connection between curriculum and opportunities. Our community is a great example of successful connection between the business community and schools, largely due to the leadership of Charles Wilson,” Thompson said.

BOE Chair Williams

Elizabeth Williams, now chair of the Bulloch County Board of Education, noted that she was a principal when Wilson was the school system’s chief financial officer. After retiring as an administrator, Williams was elected to the board in 2022 has been chosen by the board members as chairman for three of her first four years. Now she is unopposed for a second term as the member from District 2.

“So I’ve had the honor of working with him as a board member while he is the superintendent, and he has taken the school system through a very in-depth process of strategic planning,” Williams said. “So we have a clear mission, vision and goals, and all of our school improvement plans are written around that, and also there’s been a lot of work put into supporting the schools.”

Wilson has also been very accessible for board members when they have questions or concerns, Williams added.

Board screening applicants

Having contracted with the Georgia School Boards Association for assistance in the search for a new superintendent, the local board held a closed-door session earlier last week and took delivery of nearly 40 applications from individuals in Georgia and across the country.

Now in the process of screening applications, the board expects to set up interviews with leading candidates later this month, Williams said.

“Hopefully, by the end of April, the beginning of May, we will know who our new superintendent will be,” she said.

The board in February chose Richard Smith, executive director of the First District Regional Educational Service Agency and a previously retired superintendent, to serve as Bulloch County’s interim superintendent beginning April 1.

Smith may serve until June 30, the end of the current fiscal year, so that a newly hired permanent superintendent could start July 1 and lead the system into the new school year, Williams said.

“There may be some overlap in time. We’re not sure yet… because it just depends on who’s chosen,” she said. “If it’s someone that’s currently under contract, we’ll have to wait until that contract ends.”