John Jones is passionate about youth and education.
In his retirement after a career as a teacher, advocate, and 19 years at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jones served eight years as treasurer of the Jamestown C-1 School Board.
He will resign from the board Dec. 12 after spending half his life involved with students, faculty and staff.
Jones and his wife plan to move to Fayette.
Jones got his start in education in 1961 as a science teacher at Van-Far High School in Vandalia. He moved to Jefferson City in 2005, working with DESE and later the Missouri State Teachers Association.
As Jamestown school board treasurer since 2011, Jones was responsible for the accountability of funds spent by the district. During his tenure, the district and community took steps to get the school facility up to standards, Jones said.
"It has been a time of significant change (and), I think, significant improvement," Jones said.
The first phase of the district's capital improvement projects included remodeling the elementary classrooms and special-education space, library and computer lab improvements, adding an elevator. Those improvements were completed in October 2017.
A capital projects tax increase was approved in August. A portion of the increase will remain to keep up the condition of the school, Jones said.
"I think in that sense the district has a good future," Jones said. "It's been gratifying to see the facility get in better condition."
The district's goal is to begin the second phase in 2021, including creating a safe entry to the building and additional instruction space on the elementary side, Superintendent Gretchen Guitard said.
Other successes within the district include the dual-credit programs and partnership with Nichols Career Center in Jefferson City, Jones said.
Some dual-credit students begin college a semester ahead, and students who attend Nichols Career Center gain vocational tools for careers.
"That is a wonderful opportunity for our students," Jones said. "It's gratifying to see students take advantage of their educational opportunity while they're still young enough and have it available to them."
Being involved with various aspects of the educational system is a privilege, he said.
"The whole purpose of education is to try to help parents raise their children so that their child can mature as a productive citizen and contribute to society as a whole," Jones said. " It's really quite a privilege to be associated with that activity."
However, the career is labor-intensive and not for those seeking financial riches, he said.
"Don't expect to become wealthy or rich by being an educator," Jones said. "If you're consistent and work hard at it, Missouri provides an excellent retirement for educators and other school personnel. It can provide in the material sense a comfortable life in one's lifetime. It's a life I would recommend to people unless you're really ambitious about being rich."
The school board member who takes his place should be someone who put the students and the common good first, Jones said.
"Teachers come and go," Jones said. "Administration comes and goes, but the community remains, and the board gives the expression of the community values."
Jones' last school board meeting will be Thursday, but he has agreed to help the next candidate and current board members, he said. Final interviews will take place Jan. 9.
Jones is looking forward to enduring harsh winters on the farm. However, he said he will miss his involvement with Jamestown Evangelical Church.