The Bethel-Tate Board of Education recently appointed Charles Napier to take up the mantle of Operations Director ahead of John Burns' retirement at the end of this school year.
A Bethel native, Mr. Napier brings a wealth of experience that includes a 35-year career in the automotive field at Kelsey Hayes and Ford Motor Company.
A true Bethel success story, Mr. Napier enlisted in the Army after the 10th grade at Bethel-Tate High School. He completed his education while serving his country, spending two years in Germany and 15 years in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Mr. Napier has been married for 34 years to his middle school sweetheart, Sherry Napier. They have three children (Charles, Jacob, and Mallory), all BTHS graduates. Mr. and Mrs. Napier also have a beautiful 7-month-old granddaughter, Makena, and a wonderful daughter-in-law, Brooke Napier.
His commitment to education extends beyond his family, as evidenced by his four-year tenure on the Bethel-Tate School Board from 2012 to 2016.
Mr. Napier also finds time to serve his community as a member of the Burke Trust Commission.
As Bethel-Tate Schools welcome Mr. Napier, it also celebrates the contributions made by John Burns, who has served as operations director for nearly a decade.
Originally hired as the payroll associate, Mr. Burns was quickly named the operations director. During his tenure, Mr. Burns undertook multiple fiscally beneficial projects. Notably, after the passage of the first emergency levy, he spearheaded various facility improvements.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Burns played a pivotal role in the district's health and safety planning, crafting and implementing a comprehensive return-to-school plan. One of Mr. Burns' recent triumphs was successfully redesigning the district's transportation operation, achieving increased efficiency at a substantially reduced cost.
His financial acumen was further showcased through his successful pursuit of alternative funding opportunities, generating over $300,000 in the past 12 months alone.
However, Mr. Burns says his most rewarding accomplishment lies in the positive impact he has made on the everyday lives of the students, staff, and community of Bethel-Tate Local Schools.