October is National Principals Month. Principal Ethan Farr is in his second year at the helm of SKS. Recently, we sat down with him and asked him about his experience and what he envisions for Shell Knob School.
Please tell us about your educational journey, where did you go to high school, college?
I attended High School in Steelville Missouri, and received my Bachelor degree in Education from Southwest Baptist University. I then completed my Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University.
As a kid, was it always your dream to be an educator, or did you dream of being something different?
Actually no, I grew up in a very small town, Stewartsville, in rural Northwest Missouri. Much of my life I wanted to operate some form of heavy equipment, like my grandfather. When I went through high school and participated in a number of sports, I became interested in chiropractic care. Eventually I got early acceptance into the Doctor of Physical Therapy at SBU. After a year pursuing that, I decided it wasn’t really what I wanted. I had close relationships with many coaches and teachers in high school, and thought it was worth investigating as a career.
Why did you ultimately choose education as a career?
I chose education for a number of reasons. My wife (girlfriend at the time) was an education major, my sister was an education major, my sister-in-law was an education major. I knew how impactful some of my teachers and coaches had been in my life, and the opportunity to be a positive influence and invest in kids like I was invested in, was powerful and fulfilling. If any educator is being honest, a couple months away for the summers is also quite enticing!
If you had the power, what is the one thing you would change about our current education system?
Oh boy…I think the idea to change our education system will forever be conversation worthy. There are numerous things that could be changed for the better. Being in the educational field for 10 years now, I think one of the most impactful changes would be to eliminate the current state assessment, and replace it with a model that demonstrates student growth over the course of each year. The pressures that school districts (and teachers in particular) feel to cover an ever increasing number of standards is demoralizing to say the least. I think reorganizing school structure to personalize learning through more of a competency-based education would better prepare students to be college, career, and work-place ready. One of our main goals as educators is to inspire our students to be successful, then foster that success so that students believe in themselves beyond the walls of the school.
Have you met your career goals, or do you plan to go further with your own education?
I don’t think an educator ever stops learning. I plan to continue my education and pursue a Doctoral degree with intent to eventually become Superintendent of the greatest school in Southwest Missouri…Shell Knob!
Describe your perfect day.
My answer changes greatly depending on the time of year. Since we’re in Fall, I’ll describe my perfect Fall day:
Waking up to go bow hunt at my dad’s farm, and tagging the #1 hit list buck I’ve been chasing would be a perfect start! After that, I would spend time outdoors with my wife and kids. We’d ride four wheelers, play games, watch some football and eat good food. I’d have to get in some form of exercise for the day. Then end it with a big home-cooked meal, a big bonfire, and laugh and talk about good times with family and friends.
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
This is always a tough question to answer. Picking three words to encompass your entire being is difficult! I would say a few that come to mind are:
Achiever - I have a deep desire to excel in everything I do. I’m very proud of things I accomplish, knowing that those things can very much be credited to the people around me.
Devoted/Loyal - I prioritize my faith and my family. I’m deeply committed to our spiritual and physical well-being and overall success.
Competitive - I have a (sometimes overboard) drive and passion for most all games/challenges. Bring it on!
What is something you are really bad at?
This list could be really long…but I’ll spare the readers. I consider myself an athlete, but for whatever reason I’m a terrible bowler. Why is it so hard to roll a ball down a lane and hit pins???
What is something you are really good at?
Tough question to answer! I’ve always thought humility is a great characteristic to have. Let others tell you what you are good at. I can tell you what I want to be good at. I want to be a really good husband and father. I want to be an effective and inspiring leader. Both areas I have a lot of growth to make, and I’ve never been afraid of a little hard work and adversity. Well…there it is, I guess I’m good at not giving up when things are difficult.
What are your goals for SKS?
My goals for Shell Knob School focus mostly on our students. I think we have an excellent staff that has the kids' success in the forefront of their minds. I would like our staff to continue working together to create an overwhelmingly positive environment where students are regularly celebrated for their achievements. We do a lot of this already, but we can always improve! Our students have such potential, I think it’s our job to help them recognize it, and achieve their best.
Students and staff all agree that we are blessed to have Mr. Farr in this leadership role. "Leadership is not about being in charge, it's about taking care of those in your charge." -Simon Sinek. Mr. Farr sets high expectations and models what he expects. He is making a positive difference for our students while leading the staff and making strong connections with the community.