Come the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year, the senior class will not be the only ones departing. Alongside them, a staple of the Clearfield Area School District will also be hanging up his duties and strolling his way into retirement. Principal Timothy Janocko will be marching away from his indomitable lead with 38 years under his belt.

At the start of his time at Clearfield, Mr. Janocko was a physical education teacher. He went on to become a guidance counselor and eventually reached the principal postion. Janocko is also the head coach of the record-setting, Bison Football team.

Mr. Janocko has watched Clearfield grow as a community, as a district, and even as a family. He has overseen the expansion of the High School and has watched as the building has become the meeting place for people near and far. Alongside others, he has fostered a place of growth and has created a legacy that will not be forgotten.

His legacy does not stop with his retirement; however, he will continue to write part of the Clearfield story as the head football coach. Mr. Janocko says that he foresees his relationship with the team being unaffected by his retirement as a school body and will continue to teach through the team.

He hopes that students will continue to flourish and learn in the school he has helped to raise. Mr. Janocko says that with time, educational standards have risen, more is expected of students, and students graduate knowing even more than the class before them. When asked why he takes such pride in these things, he said that watching students excel who were not previously expected to offers a vast amount of satisfaction.

Mr. Janocko believes that his greatest accomplishment as a leader at Clearfield High is helping to create a dual enrollment program. He recounts that the dual enrollment program at Clearfield is one of the greatest in the state, which he holds as an immense victory. He also takes pride in the climate of the school, saying the feeling that “everyone matters and everyone can achieve anything” is not a concept that has always existed.

Life after retirement for Mr. Janocko is set to be much more relaxed. He says that being the Head Principal of a school comes with a lot of responsibility and when he retires he will be taking a large amount of weight off his shoulders. With this relief, he is planning to explore some of the things that deserve a little more attention: his family, his church, and travelling to enjoy the simpler things will all become primary focuses in the near future.

The one thing Principal Janocko desires he be remembered most for is that he cares about everyone. Throughout his career, he has interacted with many people that he is thankful for and expresses a great amount of gratitude to them. He recognizes that some of the most important people to his and the school’s success are those who work alongside him. Mr. Janocko would like it to be known that without the office secretaries, his secretary Kim Davis, Assistant Principal Mrs. Heather Prestash, District Superintendent Mr. Terry Struble, the custodial staff led by Mr. Jay Fannon, the cafeteria staff, talented teachers, and extraordinary students, Clearfield would not be the same.

Mr. Janocko hopes for continued success for the amazing students at Clearfield High. He hopes the students carry on the tradition of creating a hardworking culture and wants them to know that the school is always going to work as hard as it possibly can to be its best for them.