By: T.J. Hug
The Village Reporter
The son of a superintendent, it seemed to be manifest destiny that Dr. John Granger would end up in the same line of work, though few could have predicted how prolific his career as an administrator would be. Of course, before his father was a superintendent, he was a farmer, which led to the rural lifestyle having a profound impact on him.
It should come as no surprise then that Granger was immediately attracted to the Superintendent opening at Edon Local Schools.
Dr. Granger has followed a long and diverse academic career path. Graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wright State University in 1979, he immediately found work teaching sixth graders at Celina City Schools. Three years into the position, Granger made a realization about his long term goals.
“I figured out that I wanted to be a principal.”
In order to meet this desire, Granger returned to Wright State, earning his Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision in 1983. Again, he quickly put his skills to use, serving as Elementary Principal at Hardin-Houston Local Schools in Houston, Ohio. He had been working at the school for four years when discussions with his wife, whom he married while at Hardin-Houston, brought about another life altering decision.
“We decided that, if I was going to get my Doctorates Degree, that I should do it before we have kids.” Dr. Granger recalled.
Setting out to do just that, Granger enrolled at Miami University in Oxford. Two years later, in 1989, he obtained his Ph.D in Administration and Personnel Studies. Shortly afterward, Dr. Granger accepted the Superintendent position for Edgerton Local Schools.
That’s when he met Kent Adams.
Adams was in the later portion of his thirty year run as Edon’s Superintendent. As an unwritten rule, new superintendents were taken under the wing of a veteran to the position. Granger quickly became Adams understudy. Years later, when Granger became interested in the Edon Superintendent job himself, his first call would be to Adams.
Four years into his tenure as Edgerton’s Superintendent, Granger filled a vacancy as the Superintendent of the Williams County Schools Service Center. During his time with the service center, a new state law mandated that centers serving less than 8,000 students had to merge with neighboring counties. Williams combined with Defiance, Fulton, and Henry Counties to create the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center, located in Archbold. Granger was chosen as the organization’s first Superintendent.
As both his wife’s and his own parents began to get older, Dr. Granger found an opening closer to their families in Mercer County in 1997. The job was yet another superintendent position, this one in the Anna School Distict. Anna provided some unique challenges for Granger, namely the erecting of a new school building.
For nine years Granger worked at Anna Local Schools. Then, in 2006, he moved on to Anthony Wayne Local Schools, where he once again ran the district as Superintendent. He was there for four years before retiring in 2010.
Starting in 1995, Dr. Granger had served as an Adjunct Professor in Education Administration at Bowling Green State University. After his retirement in 2010, he acted as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Educational Training and Leadership Studies at The University of Toledo for one year. Then it was back to Bowling Green, where he took on the role of Coordinator for the Superintendent Cohort Leadership Academy until 2013. Basically, Granger taught prospective students how to be superintendents. He also gained plenty of experience organizing and assisting in district searches for superintendents.
So why would Dr. Granger step out of retirement to take on the role of Superintendent at Edon Local Schools.
“I wasn’t begged to take this position.” Granger informed. “I wanted it.”
From his time at Edgerton, Dr. Granger had gotten to know several people living within the Edon School District. He also owns a bit of farm land just south of Blakeslee. Not only that, but Granger is looking forward to a return to a smaller, rural school district.
“I’m a lot more comfortable in a rural school than a city one.” Granger stated. “It’s nice that I can leave my office, look left and see kindergarteners, and then look right and see high schoolers.”
Upon hearing about the opening, and speaking to Adams about the goings on of the district, Granger then spoke with exiting Superintendent Ed Ewers. From that conversation, Ewers gave him the phone number of Brad McCrea, President of the Edon Board of Education at the time. Dr. Granger was interviewed, and offered the job.
Aware of the issues that currently need resolving at Edon, Granger doesn’t intend to shy away from them in the least.
“I’m not looking at this as a retirement job. I’m not looking at this as a part-time job.” Dr. Granger made clear. “I’ll approach this like all of my other jobs.”
In fact, he has some ideas on how to get said issues resolved. Each of those potential resolutions revolves around communication. And not just with those living within the Edon city limits either. He plans to speak with people living within the entire seventy-eight square mile span of the district, including those living in Cooney, Columbia, and Blakeslee. Not only that, he also plans to seek out those who disagree with the school’s stance on such matters and speak with them as well. While this task may not be the easiest to undertake, it is doable according to Granger.
“It’s possible.” The new Edon Superintendent said. “It just takes effort.”
Granger also notes that there are a lot more positives in the Edon School District than the obstacles that have been receiving attention as of late.
As far as his stay in Edon, Granger currently has a seven month contract with the school. He’s not opposed to staying beyond those terms, though.
“I’m open to staying longer.” Proclaimed Granger. “I’m going to serve at the will of the board.”
Whether the board decides to keep him for a longer term, or begin a search for a permanent superintendent, Granger is ready to help the board do what’s best for the district. He has offered his services in finding a new head administrator whenever the board wishes to begin looking, which would save the district a good bit of money. He’d be just fine sticking around for a while, however.
“I don’t have anything big planned.” Granger admitted.
He doesn’t mind the title of Interim Superintendent in the least.
“After all, all superintendents are interim.” Joked Granger.
No matter how long his tenure at Edon lasts, it seems the school will be in good hands for a long while.
T.J. Hug can be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com