By Jim Newell
Review Staff Writer
After 43 years as an educator, the last 13 years as athletic director for Lake Orion Community Schools, William “Bill” Reiss has retired.
Chris Bell, who was an associate principal at the high school and is the head coach of the varsity football team, is the new athletic director.
Lake Orion Superintendent Marion Ginopolis made the announcement on Aug. 30 during a welcome back program for teachers and administrators at the high school.
“Chris has strong athletic skills, he’s just a natural person for the position. He will do a great job as athletic director, of that I’m sure,” Ginopolis said. “Chris is going to do a spectacular job and we’re very excited for him.”
For Bell, the step was a natural progression in his career as someone dedicated to Lake Orion students and sports.
“I’m a fan of all Lake Orion kids. This is just a way for me to be involved with all kids, in all sports,” Bell said. “I’ve been involved in athletics all my life. I felt that this would be a good fit at this point in my career.”
Bell is in his twenty-first year with Lake Orion schools, spending nine years as a social studies teacher before becoming an associate principal at the high school for the past eleven years.
As for his new role as athletic director, Bell said he plans on tackling the challenges in phases.
“My first goal is to learn as much as I can and make sure our teams have what they need to be successful,” Bell said. “I’m just looking forward to every sport, to getting to know every one of our athletic staff and making the best athletic program that we can.”
After addressing the immediate needs of Lake Orion athletics, Bell said phase two is long-term planning. He said he will work to determine what the athletes, coaches and sports programs need in order to continue to be successful, and work to develop the areas that need improvement.
Both Bell and Ginopolis said they appreciate the work Bill Reiss did over the years, and hope he enjoys retirement.
“Bill was a great athletic director,” Bell said, adding that he was appreciative of the support Reiss had given him over the years.
Reiss had been a math teacher in Lake Orion, including being honored as a teacher of the year. He also had been a past president of the countywide athletic director’s association, Ginopolis said.
“He’s been talking about retirement,” Ginopolis said, adding Reiss has said he wanted to focus more of his time on family.
“I’ve worked with A.D.s for many years, and it was a pleasure working with Bill, he really was on top of everything,” Ginopolis said. “We wish him the very best in his retirement, and he will be missed.”
As for Bell’s position as head coach of the varsity football team, students and fans shouldn’t be worried.
“It’s business as usual for our football program this year,” Bell said.