Aces of Trades: Jon Parker leads the Berne Union school district as a form of giving back

SUGAR GROVE − Berne Union Local School District Superintendent Jon Parker knows about stress.

Along with the myriad of other duties a school superintendent must tend to, he also worked on the district's plan to build a new pre-K through 12 school building that opened last week.

"It is a stressful job," Parker said. "And the new building has been very stressful I would say for the last year and a half. Incredibly stressful. I think part of that is because I grew up here, went to school here and this is my community. So I feel like an extra burden to make sure the school is exactly what we want and need. I want the best for our kids and our community, so I carry that weight and I'm proud to do it."

Parker has been the superintendent about about four years now. He has also served as the high school principal, softball coach and assistant football coach.

"You're basically the end of the line for the school," Parker said of his position. "We have a treasurer, and his job is the finances and payroll and all that stuff. But I kind of oversee the rest of it, like the busing and the transportation, all the other personnel. I deal with our director of busing, custodians, athletic director, the principal, the curriculum director, the food service folks. I deal with all those people."

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Parker said his job is to serve his employees and not the other way around.

He graduated from Ohio University with a communications degree and took some jobs not in the education field before entering that field.

"Then I started coaching," Parker said. "I was an assistant football coach and then became the head softball coach in the '94-'95 school year. I loved working with kids so much that I decided I wanted to teach. I always loved history, so I became a teacher and then coached and kind of worked my way up as athletic director, dean of students, principal then superintendent. I just love helping kids out."

Parker said he had good teachers and a good administration when he attended Berne Union schools, so he thought he owed the district something.

"So I guess this my way of paying back what I was given as a student," he said. "I had a fantastic experience as a student-athlete at Berne Union and I just wanted our kids to have the same experiences that I had."

Parker said his experience in coaching made him a better teacher.

"You play the cards you're dealt with," he said. "I always thought that was something we were pretty good at, was taking kids that may not have had the best skill and getting them to be successful and very productive members of the team. Nothing gave me more joy than having a kid who had struggled catching and throwing become an all-league player in their four years. To me, that's the best you can do."

Away from work, Parker is an Ohio State fan who enjoys tailgating at games. He also enjoys trail riding in his Jeep and his side-by-side vehicle.

Parker also likes to build and make things in the shop on the farm he bought from his parents.

"That's kind of my stress relief," he said.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter/X: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Aces of Trades: Jon Parker gives back to school district with his job