Dr. Tim Parson, a current Cumberland County resident and Campbellsville native with Clinton County ties, is now serving as the new Superintendent of Clinton County Schools, and he seems to be very well pleased to be in that new position.

Parson, at age 36, was born in Campbellsville and graduated high school from Adair County in 2001. He received his first Bachelor’s Degree from Western Kentucky University in 2005, then his Master’s from WKU in 2006. He also received a second Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Kentucky University in 2011 and finally his Doctorate in Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands in 2013.

Parson has spent all of his still young career in education, serving as special education teacher at Metcalfe County Middle School for six years, was assistant principal at Cumberland County for a year and principal at the middle school in Cumberland County for five years.

Prior to being named local schools superintendent, Parson served in the dual capacities of Director of Pupil Personnel (DPP) and special education and preschool coordinator in Cumberland County.

The new superintendent, who was recently given a four-year contract by the school board, officially began his duties on July 1 and said he applied for the opening here because he was “motivated by a challenge.”

He said, for example, when he became middle school principal in his home county of Cumberland, the school was ranked 217th out of 328 schools in the state, but by the time his tenure as principal had ended, the school had climbed to ninth in the state.

“As DPP and special ed director, there was no motivation to climb,” he added.

Parson noted his wife, the former Andrea York, was from the Beaty Creek and Concord area of Clinton County. Her father, Jeffery “Jed” York worked at Gaddie Shamrock here for many years, he said.

He and his wife have a 10 year old son, Ryan, who has autism and two adopted daughters, Autumn, age 10, and Bella, age nine. “It has been tough but it has been a blessing,” said Parson, who is also a pastor.

Parson founded Center Point Nazarene Church in Burkesville in January of 2015. The church, he added, began with about 11 members and has grown to over 200 now. Parson is also involved in the Celebrate Recovery program in Cumberland County.

He noted that due to his son having autism and it being harder for him to adjust to change, he currently plans to continue living in Cumberland County, but left open the possibility of a move later on. He said it was only a 12-minute drive from his home to the Board of Education offices here in Clinton County.

“I can’t explain how well the first few days (as superintendent) have gone,” Parson said in an interview last Thursday. “Early on, I have already met a lot of people,” saying he felt the staff and administrators here would be good to work with.

Parson said over the next four years, he would like to see the culture improve and let every kid know that every teacher and adult cares about them. He also said he would like to see an increase in student achievement and improve communication with the public district-wide.

The new schools chief also touched on the ongoing issue of the proposed school tax, saying it is totally needed. “Clinton County needs a new high school,” Parson said. He added that if the cooling tower alone at CCHS were to go out, for example, it would cost the district up to $100,000 to replace that unit alone.

“The Nickel Tax is more important than many people realize,” Parson said.

Parson said he had been welcomed greatly and was “blessed to be here and I look forward to what the future holds for the (school) district and myself here.”