Long-time Moore educator Debbie Arato will retire at the end of the 2009-2010 school year, she announced to school board members Monday evening.

The announcement came after Arato was named Oklahoma's 2009-10 Superintendent of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators. She will be recognized for her state award at the American Association of School Administrators Conference on Education in Phoenix in February 2010.

Her retirement will begin at the end of the school year.

Arato has served as superintendent of Moore Public Schools for more than five years and has a total of 38 years in education.

While superintendent, Arato has worked cooperatively with the teachers in the areas of student achievement and they have provided high quality teacher support and worked to empower the teachers as leaders, she said.

"We've made good progress," Arato said. "There's always something more we could have done. When you work with kids, there is always a higher level. We have good community support and we have to work to maintain that relationship."

Before being named superintendent in 2004, she served as assistant superintendent of the district from 1997 to 2004. She also served as an administrator of elementary education and professional development, assistant superintendent (curriculum and instruction K-12), principal at Meadowbrook, Northmoor and Fisher Elementary Schools; coordinator of Special Services and Gifted Education, and teacher at Highland East Junior High. She began her career in teaching in 1973.

She grew up in Bethany and attended Oklahoma City schools. Her post high school career was at Oklahoma City University, Central State University and the University of Oklahoma.

It was not an easy decision for Arato.

"I will miss the people, the kids and all of their accomplishments," she said.

She won't miss the lack of funding within the schools, she said.

Although she has family here, she wants to travel with her husband and visit a 2-year-old grandson in Texas.

"I've missed out on so much of his life," Arato said.

She also wants to play her piano and she loves to read.

"I haven't touched my piano in three years," she said.