Parkway Central Principal Leaves After 35 Years In The District

On Friday, students will stream out of They'll jump in cars or on buses, rowdy with excitement and thoughts of summer plans.

They'll be back at the high school in a few short months. But one big thing will be different. Tim Gannon will no longer be the principal.

For Gannon, Friday is less likely to be a day of excited celebration. He's confident his retirement, , is the right decision. But it's still hard to leave the place where, in many respects, he grew up. Gannon has been at the school since 1978.

"I was going to be a lawyer," he said. He worked on former Gov. Warren Hearnes' 1976 campaign for U.S. Senate, but after the campaign failed, he got to thinking about what else he might do with a bachelor's in political science from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

His high school experience was great, he said. "I had great teachers, coaches and role models," Gannon said. So, he thought, why not go back and help the next generation out?

In 1976, he helped run a federal grant program that placed students at job sites, allowing them to explore potential career paths. When the program was moved into high schools, Gannon was randomly assigned to Parkway Central. He never left.

When the program disbanded, he began teaching social studies at the school.

"It's hard work," he said of teaching. "A teacher's job is so incredibly hard, all the time. If you're not grading papers, you're designing an assessment. You're researching so you can be ahead of the kids."

Gannon also coached three sports: girls tennis, girls basketball and baseball. Staying organized and managing his time was tricky at first, but the work was rewarding.

"I found right away that relationships with students were the best thing going. I still would say that I've never had more fun then when in the classroom."

Gannon taught social studies for 11 years. He got a master's of education from UMSL and moved on to administration in 1989.

"I asked myself the question, 'Do I want to continue to do this for the rest of my life? Do I want to teach the U.S. Constitution? Do I want to teach the Missouri Constitution? Do I want to teach the same subject over and over again?' And the answer was no, I don't think so. I wanted to have an influence on a larger aspect of the school."

Gannon became an assistant principal and oversaw student activities and athletics for a number of years. He said there's never a dull day in administration.

Lisa Johnson, a secretary at Parkway Central, worked as his secretary for nine years when he was an assistant principal. She said Gannon makes everyone around him feel at ease.

"There's a calm presence about him, even when it's not a good situation. You never see him panic," she said. He's the only principal she knows who students would thank after he suspended them, she said.

"He makes them feel like it's going to be OK," she said.

Terri Mullins, an English teacher and director of special programs at the school, said Gannon's ability to control himself and stay calm no matter the circumstances set him apart. Mullins has known Gannon since they taught together in 1984.

"You can feel his tension, he might get like a little red in the face. But his ability to control himself—and we're asking that of our kids—I mean, I don't think I've ever heard him shout," she said. "He has remarkable self-control."

In 2006, Gannon moved up to become principal at Parkway Central. Though he had been in administration for a while, things were different as the head principal.

"I'm reminded of the Harry Truman line, 'The buck stops here.'" he said. "All of a sudden, I was the guy who had to be that final answer, so to speak. There was more of a sense of finality. When it got to me, I knew the issue was bigger."

For Gannon, it's all about the people. Relationships with parents, students and teachers top his list of what he likes best about his job.

"I think that's what attracted me to this kind of career. It allowed me to have frequent contact with a lot of different people, and it's always interesting," he said, whether he's helping a freshman find a locker or a senior trying to navigate a college decision.

Gannon spends a lot of time nurturing the relationships he treasures. He's at almost every sporting event for the school. He goes to the musicals and plays, even appearing in The Pirates of Penzance once. He chaperones dances, too. Mullins said he's even there for service projects, such as a fall and spring clean.

"When we have some big activity, if he can make it, he will be there. And he's not there just to watch and see how things are going. He'll pick up that shovel, or that chainsaw," Mullins said. "He really does model. He doesn't just say something, but he really does model with his actions."

English teacher and longtime friend Denise Fischer said Gannon's ability to roll his sleeves up—and not keep himself on a pedestal—makes him a great principal.

"I've always thought that he's lived by the model that it's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice," Fischer said. "He is important as a principal, but that doesn't go to his head."

During the day, he's a near-constant presence in the halls and classrooms as he talks to students and observes teachers.

"Every morning, he stands outside (the windows by his office), and usually in the afternoon and in between classes if he can. And the kids go by, and the kids know him. He loves his interaction with the kids," Mullins said. "What I always like is that the kids go, 'Hey Mr. Gannon!' They're not afraid to approach him."

For the amount of time he puts into his job, he said he's fortunate to have a wife, Donna, who is understanding and, as a retired teacher, gets it.

"To be a successful teacher, which I still consider myself, it's a way of life. And it either suits you or it doesn't," he said. "We become in many cases so close to these students because they trust us, and that's a trust we must maintain."

Gannon puts a lot of trust in his teachers, too. His most important responsibility, he said, is to make sure the more than 100 teachers at Parkway Central have what they need to be good and effective.

"We have to provide the right atmosphere, the right equipment, the right professional training, good facilities," he said. He added that he hopes people would see him as a teacher's advocate. He knew when he entered administration that he wanted to support teachers. He feels he hires the best and does what he can to keep them that way.

His staff respects that.

"He's fair. He's not afraid to tell you when you've goofed up, but also praises you when you've done something right," Fischer said. The two have worked together for more than 30 years. Fischer described herself as an animated teacher and said she knows there have probably been times when Gannon has stuck his head in her classroom and wondered just what she was up to. But he's always let her have her style.

Staff members said they were happy that Gannon had chosen what was best for him, but still sad to see him go.

"It's time for him to retire so he and Donna can do whatever it is they want to do," Fischer said. "I would say he should live life to its fullest, but I think he already does."

He's had a big impact on the school, they said.

"You know the saying that you should leave something better than when you found it? Well, he's certainly done that at (Parkway Central)," Johnson said. "Parkway Central and the people there are better people for knowing him and being under his leadership."

Gannon said it's a bittersweet decision, but it's time to go. Parkway is making plans for the future in a multiyear visioning process called Project Parkway. And it's almost time to implement those plans. Gannon said he didn't think it would be fair to start something and then not finish it, so he's stepping aside to let someone else lead. Tim McCarthy, Parkway Central's new principal, will take over July 1.

Gannon said he thinks he'll still be involved in the school in some way, but he's not sure how yet.

"I've never not been doing this, so it's a bit scary (to leave)," he said. He expects it will take awhile to adjust to retirement, but he's open to possibilities.

But, he'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

"You've gotta find what you like and do it. How many of us are fortunate enough to do what we like every day? That's been the great, good fortune I've had here," he said.

Coming Saturday: Bellerive Elementary School's principal retires.