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The 54-year-old Walker has announced he will retire as principal of Deckerville Elementary School at the end of the school year, on June 30, 2008.

"I've been at Deckerville all 33 years," said Walker.

The Bad Axe native was hired as a business education teacher in the fall of 1975, and in 1981 took on some administrative duties as assistant principal and athletic director. He was promoted to elementary principal 13 years ago. He coached varsity baseball 18 years, junior varsity football for 13 or 14 years, and varsity boys' basketball for four years.

Among his accomplishments, said Walker, was the elementary school's designation as one of the top 5 performing schools in Michigan in 2004-05, and being cited by the governor as a school that "beat the odds."

The elementary school has achieved success because, "I try to stay out of their way," he grinned, referring to the teachers. "We have great support from parents," he added.

Walker had his wife, Louise, a guidance counselor at Deckerville, have two grown daughters and a grandchild.

The board of education was expected to accept his letter of resignation Monday evening.