EATON — The Eaton Community Schools Board of Education approved Jeff Parker as the district’s new superintendent during a special meeting on Wednesday, May 23.
Parker will work as a consultant with the school beginning on July 1, with his contract ending on July 31. As of Aug. 1, Parker will be the new superintendent for Eaton Community School District. The board approved a three year contract, to end July 31, 2021.
The board also approved a resolution to pick up the pension of the superintendent. The resolution states, “The Board of Education desires to pick up 11 percent of the 14 percent employee contribution to the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio. These picked-up contributions, although designated as employee contributions, are being paid by the board in lieu of employee contributions and shall be paid by the board as a fringe benefit in addition to the contract salary otherwise payable to the employee. These contributions shall be treated as additional compensation and included in salary for retirement purposes.”
Parker brings to ECS years of teaching, coaching, and community outreach experience.
He began his teaching career at Coldwater Jr./Sr. High School in 1988. In 1990, he worked as a substitute teacher at McBroom Jr. High School, only to move to Memorial High School in 1991 as a learning disabilities teacher.
In 1991, he moved to Earlham College. In 1996, he started at Tri-County North High School as a high school social studies teacher. In 1997, he became the athletic director as he was teaching social studies.
In 1998, he began his career at Eaton High School, where he was assistant principal and then principal.
For a year, starting in 2005, he was the principal at Fairbanks High School.
He moved back to Preble County in 2006 and worked as the high school principal until 2011. At that point, he began his first superintendent position at National Trail Local Schools, where he has remained until accepting this position at Eaton Community Schools.
He has also coached basketball, track and field, football, and baseball. Throughout his teaching career, he has volunteered with organizations including First English Lutheran Church, YMCA, Little League, Dayton Metro, Kiwanis, National Trail School Foundation, New Paris Chamber of Commerce, Preble County Special Olympics, Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership, Preble County Council on Aging, and others.
“The Eaton Board of Education is excited for the experienced and proven leadership that Jeff Parker brings to our district. We are confident that he is the person to continue our legacy of strong and established goals and programs, as well as create and implement a strategic plan by engaging all of the key stakeholders including students, school employees, parents, local businesses, etc.,” ECS Board of Education President Lisa Noble said.
