JOE CRAIN WILL RELAX WITH HIS HOBBIES IN RETIREMENT

One word describes Joe Crain. Relaxed. He's utterly comfortable in his environment as principal of Orchard Elementary School.

Crain's demeanor spreads throughout the school to provide an orderly learning environment, yet relaxed.

Crain will retire at the end of the school year, and his plans after retirement do not include work.

There are his many hobbies: fishing, hunting, vegetable gardening, carpentry to keep him busy, and there is the needed repair and maintenance around the house.

Both Crain and his wife, Brenda, who also will retire from the school district, have elderly parents and plan to spend more time with them.

"If I did return to work," Crain said, "it would be on the weekends," so he would have the week to enjoy his hobbies and not get caught up in the crowds.

Six years ago, the Jackson School District began a summer school, and Crain became involved in the program that enabled children to learn things there just wasn't time for during the school year.

Filling students' summer school hours with discovery and love for learning helped to build their self-esteem.

Instead of textbooks and assignments, there were guest speakers geared toward the learning theme.

Crain recently displayed the T-shirt designed for this year's summer school theme: "ALL ABOUT YOU" -- your body, health and safety. Across his chest displayed in a swirly graphic were skateboarders and rollerbladers. The T-shirts were for the first, second or third-graders who will attend summer school.

Because Crain takes summer school personally, naturally he motivates those around him.

Inevitably that enthusiasm spills over onto the students, and another year of summer school will achieve its purpose: to instill a love for learning.

Crain advises students to "learn to read well" because "it is one of the biggest keys to success."

He adds that getting along with people is another skill. Both important skills are stressed in the primary and elementary years.

Crain began his career in teaching at Sikeston, worked for the highway patrol for five years and became an assistant principal in Sikeston before moving to Jackson 16 years ago to become an elementary school principal.

Crain said he became a principal because "I liked working with kids and dedicated people."

Assistant high school principal Clay Vangilder will become principal at Orchard Elementary School.