Killbuck Savings Bank Co. Superstar on Staff: Bob Fitzwater

Bob Fitzwater
Dalton Middle School Building substitute (fills any role needed each day at the middle school)

Reason for Selection:
Mr. Fitzwater became our building substitute this school year and it has been a pleasure and delight for us. He comes to school each day willing to help out in any capacity with kindness and a humble heart. He has many experiences in education especially with Dalton Local and it is a pleasure to learn from him. We appreciate all of his help each day at DMS, whether it be in the classroom or even helping at after school activities. Thank you, Mr. Fitzwater for all you do and have done for Dalton Local Schools!

1. What do you love about working at Dalton Local Schools?

Every morning that I come to school, I get the pleasure of teaching some of the best students in Wayne County and also working with a teaching staff that cares as much about our students as I. Not a day goes by that I don’t get greeted with a genuinely friendly “Hello” by just about every student and staff member in the building. It is tremendous to be able to hear and see that just about everyone is glad to be at school.
I like seeing the students who enjoy learning new things almost every day. It’s especially exciting watching them learn something new on one day and then carry it over into what they are learning on the next. It’s very rewarding for the teachers to see this improvement.

2. How did you get to where you are today?

This is a very easy question for me to answer! I would not have gone into education, and ultimately teaching at Dalton Local Schools, had it not been for one individual person — that person was Mr. Billie J. McFarren. I absolutely enjoyed every class and every teacher I had at DHS, but Mr. McFarren was truly one of a kind! The thought of going to college and then pursuing a career in teaching, never entered my mind until he encouraged me to do so early in my senior year at DHS — for that, I’ll be eternally grateful!
I graduated from Bluffton College in 1973 with a degree in Physical Education, with emphasis on working with handicapped individuals.
In the early 1990s, I graduated from Ashland University with a Masters in Sports Science. After being encouraged to think about going into Educational Administration, I went back to Ashland University and graduated in 1996 with two Masters Degrees — one for Elementary Administration and one Secondary Administration.
Twenty-eight of my original 30 years in teaching were at Dalton. Twenty of those years were spent in the classroom and during the other eight years, I served the district as Principal at DES and also as Principal at DHS.
After spending 16 years in retirement, I was offered the opportunity to get back into teaching. I was asked to be an “everyday-all day substitute” for the Dalton district. After being unable to come up with any reason as to why I shouldn’t, I happily began this new adventure — and these students make me younger everyday!!

3. Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that people would be surprised to hear.

I am somewhat of a crafty-type person. I enjoy making greeting cards — especially for Christmas. My wife and I would make in excess of 100 cards for family and friends. She also taught me how to do counted-cross-stitch, and as a result, I have several of these hanging about the house. I also like doing small quilting projects.

 

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