Cape Girardeau schools superintendent Neil Glass announces retirement

Editor's note: This story has been updated to included the age of Neil Glass.

Neil Glass, superintendent of the Cape Girardeau School District, has announced he will retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

In a letter to the school district, Glass said he informed the Cape Girardeau Board of Education of his decision to retire, during a closed meeting Monday, Jan. 23.

“Please know that this was not an easy decision to make because of all of you and our students,” Glass wrote in his letter.

Glass, 49, has served as superintendent since July 2017 and was named Missouri Association of School Administrators’ New Superintendent of the Year for the southeast district in 2020.

Before being named superintendent at Cape Girardeau School District, he was assistant superintendent for administrative services. He has also been a principal, teacher and coach in neighboring school districts.

Kristen Tallent, communications director for the school district said, “Dr. Glass has been a tremendous leader for the school district and a strong advocate for all kids and families in the Cape Girardeau community.”

She said under Glass’ guidance, the district’s Annual Performance Report (APR) reached an all-time high, and that he was instrumental in the passage of three bond issues.

“There’s no question that he can walk away from our district feeling really good about the work that he’s done here,” Tallent said.

Glass ended his letter to the district on a cheerful note.

“Of course, I will still be your superintendent through the remainder of the year and we still have work to do,” Glass wrote. “So I say ‘Carpe Diem,’ and let’s pray for snow. I still have a Snow Day Video to unveil and it will be EPIC!”