Administrator Spotlight

John David Keeling

Middle School Principal, Dardanelle School District

John David Keeling, Principal at Dardanelle Middle School, says that while education is his calling, he didn't realize it until his first day in the classroom. "I had grown up around the education system all of my life," he says, "but I had no desire to go into education." However, during his Sophomore year at Arkansas Tech University, he signed up to substitute for the Ola School District in order to earn some extra money. "My first day to sub I was assigned a 1st grade classroom. I will be honest I did not have a clue what I was in for. By 9:00am I was physically exhausted. I had not ever experienced my body being physically pulled in so many directions and or heard my name called so many times in an hour period. Around noon that day I realized that I was where I was supposed to be." He changed his major to education the very next day.

John David is now finishing his 26th year in education. After graduating from Arkansas Tech University, he says he had the privilege to go back to his home district in Ola to teach and coach. "While at the Ola School District I wore several hats which helped me grow as an educator," he states. "I was a classroom teacher for several years while also coaching several different sports. I completed my masters in educational leadership in 2005 through Harding University. My last several years at Ola I was the Dean of Students and helped write grants while also fulfilling my coaching responsibilities." In the Fall of 2008, he took an opportunity with the Dardanelle School District as the primary school assistant principal until the spring of 2012, when he became principal at the middle school where he remains today. During his career, he has served on the AAMLA Board as president as well as in other positions, served on the PLSB board through DESE, and was an Arkansas Safe Schools Leadership award recipient.

John David says his favorite part of the job is building relationships with students in order to have a positive impact on them, stating, "My ultimate goal is to make an impact that might change the course of the students' lives today and beyond as they grow." He says the biggest personal challenge in his job is that building relationships with students in general has become increasingly harder, despite a growing importance to foster those relationships. The other challenge comes from the fact that things are always changing. "You must stay attuned and tapped in to resources such as AAEA," he notes.

For those considering a similar career, John David advises learning that it is ok to sometimes say "No." He states, "There is NO way you can do everything that people ask you to do. You can wear yourself out quickly when you are trying to do everything by yourself. I believe you need to prioritize." He says the best advice he has received is, "Sometimes in situations you have to step back and realize that 'it is what it is' and then manage the situation the best that you can and move forward."

John David hopes co-workers would describe him as "a Christian, compassionate, honest, a hard worker, and someone who strives to do what is best for the students and staff." He hopes one day to serve as superintendent in his community, and says he will continue to strive to be a positive role model and a positive influence on young people. "I strongly believe that my calling is not to be perfect in front of these students, but to strive to be someone who cares and to be a stabilizing factor in their lives."

? Q&A ! with John David Keeling

What have you done that you are most proud of?

Being the father of Caleb and Connor

What do you enjoy doing during your time off?

Spending time with the family, hunting, fishing and hiking

What might other administrators be surprised to know about you?

I drove dirt track stock cars at a high level around the mid-south.

What is the most daring thing you’ve done?

Asking Carla to marry me was the most daring thing I have ever done. I definitely married up and I am blessed she said “I do” 26 ½ years ago.

What’s something that amazes you?

People who seem to have everything against them and the odds seem to be stacked against them and they dig in, work hard and make it!!!!!! Overcomers and real life success stories amaze me.

What is one of the things on your “Bucket List?”

I would like to go to all SEC football stadiums and baseball stadiums to watch a game.

If you weren’t in your current position, what would you be doing?

We own a farm but if I wasn’t in education I would love to be a full time cattle farmer.

What do you see as the biggest benefit of AAEA membership?

I believe one of the most important benefits of the AAEA is the connections and networking opportunities that AAEA offers their members. AAEA is a leader and strong voice in the educational process in Arkansas.