Ex-Superintendent To Head Middle School

Kenneth L. Jones, a former superintendent of the Evergreen and Ayersville school districts, has been named interim principal at Archbold Middle School.

He will take over from Mike Pressler, whose retirement takes effect Jan. 31, 2010.

“Archbold Middle School is a good place to learn. Mr. Pressler has done a good job.

“Archbold is synonymous with quality education. My job will be to continue that through the winter and spring,” Jones said.

Math Teacher

Jones started as a math teacher in 1969 in the Ayersville school district, before becoming a guidance counselor at Montpelier in 1973. He left that job in 1976 to become principal of Hilltop High School in West Unity.

It was back to Ayersville in 1977, to take over the high school principal position there. He moved up to the superintendent post at Ayersville in 1983, and held the job until he took his retirement in 1999 after 30 years in education.

At the time, Ohio law required him to wait 18 months before taking another job in education.

“I was intending to move to Indiana or Michigan when the plant manager at GM (General Motors foundry at Defiance) gave me a call,” he said.

He worked in communications at GM for three years “before I got itchy to get back into education.”

He became the superintendent at the Evergreen School District in 2002. He held the job until July 2009, when he retired a second time, with 37 years in education.

“I was ready to give up the daily duties. We have a place in Florida, and we did spend some time there this fall.

“I sat out six months, but it’s tough to go cold turkey on this education business,” he said.

Deskins

“When Dave Deskins (Archbold Area School District superintendent) gave me a call, I said I would come fill the gap.”

Deskins said he had people in mind for interim middle school principal, but he was familiar with Jones.

The Archbold School Board approved hiring Jones at the Monday night, Dec. 21, meeting.

Jones will start Jan. 27, 2010, and will work through the remainder of the school year.

He will be paid $31,150.