Get Help

Seek Continual Improvement

August 8, 2014
John Kimmel
“Seek continual improvement. If not, others pass you by. Keep moving forward and achieve what you want.”

Those words come from John Kimmel (’02). His personal “moving forward” efforts brought him full circle and back to the area he knows well. Kimmell was hired in March 2014 as principal of Clarion Area High School, from which he graduated before enrolling at Clarion University.

He values the different relationships he forged while a college student and believes the 19:1 student-to-instructor ratio at Clarion was a major factor in building those ties.

“I always like the closeness and hometown atmosphere of the (Clarion) community,” Kimmel said as his major reason for staying close to home to attend college. “The faculty was helpful and personable, and I don’t believe I would have gotten that at the larger schools.”

A pre-optometry major when he entered Clarion, Kimmel changed his focus following a volunteer coaching stint at Clarion High School. He discovered a penchant for working with youths and changed his focus, earning a bachelor’s degree in education with a science concentration.

“Dr. (John) Heard’s (physics) class was a mix of grads and undergrads, and that’s where I learned to work on teams,” he said. “Those of us in our group learned from each other. I used that in my own classes when I finally became a teacher.”

Kimmel was a member of the Sigma Pi social fraternity and the university’s Barbell Club and participated in numerous lift-a-thons. He credits Dr. Sue Traynor, who was the fraternity advisor and teacher of coaching classes, for challenging students to become better coaches and teachers by forming relationships with students. This type of relationship building molded Kimmel’s career.

A former weight room advisor at the schools where he worked prior to his return to Clarion, Kimmel said those relationship-building skills benefited a struggling student from his biology class.

“He wasn’t the most popular kid and had an arrogant reputation,” Kimmel said. The student shared Kimmel’s passion for weight training, and the two often saw each other in the weight room. Over time, the two worked out together and shared conversations in which Kimmel talked about his experiences at Clarion University. Eventually, a trust threshold was crossed, and this once-struggling student became a leader in that class.

“The Clarion faculty was there when I had struggles, and I want to be there for students who may be going through the same thing,” Kimmel said. “It’s helped me be more patient and understand them better, which makes teaching more effective.”

In addition to his post in Maryland, he also taught at Union High School in Rimersburg before earning his principal’s certificate and becoming principal at Jefferson Tech in Reynoldsville. Prior to moving into administration, he attained certifications in chemistry, physics and biology, which enhanced his employment opportunities.  He encourages current students with aspirations of teaching at smaller schools to consider following a similar path.

“The smaller high schools look for multiple certifications whenever they can,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel’s plans are to continue moving forward, with hopes of eventually earning a doctorate.

Last Updated 1/11/21