Robert Werden shares farewell address, walk-up music

By Randy Pierce • Outgoing Regional Superintendent of Schools, Robert Werden, in conjunction with his retirement last month, shared with the county board, at its most recent meeting, a farewell address that was preceded by playing James Brown’s “Get Up Off That Thing” which he described as a “walk-up song.”

  After having recognized the stellar accomplishments of some of the county’s different high school sports teams, including those from Triad High School and Father McGivney Catholic High School earlier in the meeting, Werden explained he had consulted with County Board Chairman Chris Slusser about the walk-up song prior to this evening and received an okay to move ahead with it.

Popularized at the Major League Baseball level in the 1990s and also, as told by Werden, used by his children who play this sport, walk-up songs are segments of tunes which can be heard when an individual approaches home plate to take his or her turn at bat.

Werden shared that he had, during his career in education, been subject to negative comments about him being “an ag teacher,” a vocational administrator or from Prairietown, all factors in speculation that he could not get elected to the office he was now leaving.

“Anyway, here I am, just a dumb farm boy who’s retiring after 32 years in public service,” Werden told the county board along with thanking them for the opportunity to speak at this meeting.

  “These past seven years have been an honor. It’s an honor to serve and be treated with the respect that you all have given me,” he continued, “even when we didn’t agree on a topic. We disagreed respectfully.”

Even when he made the meetings of the county board run longer with his state champion recognitions and “corny attempts at humor,” Werden said he was met with respectful applause and laughter.

“I look back on all the changes that have occurred over the years,” Werden went on, “and all the people who have helped me along the way, I tend to get a little emotional, not so much about the technological changes. Phones and computers have made our lives easier in some ways and more frustrating in others. I’ve adapted as best I could.”

Stating that he received a lot of help adapting to those changes from many in the county board room where he spoke, Werden said he would make an effort to personally thank each one of them while still working through the end of June.

“I will tell everyone how lucky we are to have so many great people working in Madison County. They are truly public servants,” he went on, relating how he recalls his father getting angry about a tax bill then getting it lowered after complaining, only to experience the same circumstances the next year.

This taught Werden, whose seven years as regional superintendent for seven years was preceded by other varied professional experience in education, as he explained, “If you treat people with respect, they treat you with respect. If you come in here yelling and screaming, they’re probably gonna give it right back to you. I learned that at an early age.”

Expressing pride in his record, giving taxpayers “a good return on their investment,” Werden said his office’s budget increased by only 1.5% during his time as superintendent “while still providing top quality service to the residents of Madison County.”

Mentioned as projects he is most proud of were the school safety summit, put together with the help of Sheriff Jeff Connor and State’s Attorney Tom Haine, plus “camp” programs focusing on construction, agriculture and history plus science, technology, engineering and mathematics along with “Give 30,” a county teachers’ institute, track, cross-country and golf tournaments and an alternative school in Troy.

Reflecting on how more faith than fear was needed during the time of the coronavirus pandemic, Werden further said he always tried to give a greater amount of grace than advice but, in this setting, he would direct the latter to the county board members. 

“I would advise,” he said, “that the policy makers in this room put yourself in the other person’s shoes, look for common ground and be a problem solver, not a problem maker.”

The first time he saw something addressed to him with the word “honorable” preceding his name, Werden said that “hit me like a brick” as a reminder to live to a higher standard, something he advocates for those elected officials he was addressing.

Citing issues like data centers, solar farms, COVID and unfunded mandates from Springfield, Werden said these were not simple, nor were any solutions related to them, adding, “Truth is if you want nice things, you have to pay for them and we have nice schools here in Madison County as is evident from all of the intelligent folks who serve on our county board.”

“We in education,” Werden pointed out, “owe it to the taxpayers to be good stewards of those tax dollars and we must spend them wisely as we are the largest portion on the property tax bill.”

Werden said he will miss many people and being in his office every day while acknowledging the support of his family and saying he will be stopping by occasionally for a visit, sharing that “I could have never done this alone. My staff has been incredible. They make me look good even when I don’t have a clue.”

Emphasizing the importance of setting politics aside, Werden said he simply wanted to be from “the party of good government,” moving forward to conclude with “I love my career in education, I love my family at home, I love my family at work and I truly love Madison County.”

Werden’s wife Nancy, currently serving, since 2024, as superintendent of the school district in East Alton, is planning to run for the office vacated by her husband in the next election.