TWIN LAKES — Lakewood School Administrator Rebecca Vail will soon be doing for all students in the state what she has done for students at the rural K-8 school for 22 years — setting the standards for academic excellence.

Vail, of Lake Geneva, is moving to Madison to take over April 12 as the state director of content and learning for the Department of Public Instruction. The Board of Education agreed last week to release her from her contract and accepted her resignation.

She said Friday it is the best move she can make in her career as no other school can take the place Lakewood holds in her heart.

“There will never be another Lakewood School for me,” Vail said. “I will never be able to spend that much time in a single district again getting to know the children and the families.”

Vail will work in the Division of Academic Excellence, where she will oversee teams of educators dealing with issues such as academic standards, adolescent literacy and advanced placement.

The mission of the Content and Learning Team is to enhance the scope and quality of teaching and learning in Wisconsin schools through leadership, innovation, collaboration, communication and service.

Key strategies for accomplishing this mission:

— Professional development for school personnel, organizations and agencies.

— Development of curriculum standards and resources.

— Advocating for effective local, state and federal policies and practices.

— Providing for current technology and data.

— Identification of best educational practices.

— Providing for diversity and a global perspective in education.

— Securing and managing specialized funding to support local initiatives.

Vail said the position is well suited to her ability to be a “generalist” and will draw upon many different skills and talents.

“It’s about the basics,” she said. “I get to encourage and motivate people to do good work on behalf of all students.”

It will be a new atmosphere — one without kids present and in a city. But, it is a chance to do something new, she said.

“Leaving the kids just kills me,” she said. “And urban living — I’ve never done that as an adult. But if I’m not going to be here, why not do something totally different?”

Vail’s departure from Lakewood comes amid an effort to recall School Board president Steve Dunn, who is accused of micro-managing the district and circumventing the administration.