Former Educator's New FRHC Role Like Coming Home

A little more than six months ago J.B. Royer became the new Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation’s Transportation Director and it was a career-oriented plot twist he wasn’t quite expecting.

As a youth, Royer always thought he would go into a career in wildlife management. However, while studying at Vincennes University, Royer’s lifelong struggles with dyslexia reared their ugly head and caught the attention of one of his professors, who had her doctorate in education and recognized the tell-tale signs of the learning disorder immediately.

“She pushed me aggressively towards education because I understood the difficulties some kids have,” Royer recalls.

That goading helped propel Royer on to establish a career as a teacher during which time he taught science at area schools, including Seymour High School and Brown County Junior High School, he then decided to take the next step and go into education administration in 2003.

Royer readily admits his reasons for embarking on a career in education were the same reasons he chose to leave a couple of years ago.

After spending years in academia, Royer needed a change of pace.

Born and raised on what might be considered the outskirts of the north side of Columbus, 49-year-old Royer says Hope has always been a part of his life. Royer recognized early on the specialness of the Hope community and its school corporation.

Certainly, Royer’s time as principal was a great experience that demonstrated school days don’t end when the last bell rings. Rather, much later after the sun sets and you’re the last to leave every day as the clock creeps toward 9 and 10 p.m.

“That is one of the reasons I got out,” the father of two says. “My kids never saw me, and I missed a lot of their stuff.”

Royer decided a career change would benefit all involved and entered the business world. However, much to his dismay it turned out to be the same song but in a different key.

In his supervisorial role, Royer was overseeing construction job sites stretching from Tennessee to Kentucky west of Louisville, and it left little time for being home at all.

It was time for another change.

That change came to fruition for Royer and his family late last spring when he found a job opening with Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation online.

Outside the milieu of the classroom and administration, the position would allow him to still be involved with education without spending the unforgivingly long hours away from family life and home.

In July, Royer was hired as the FRHC Facility’s Transportation Director.

“I absolutely love it because I get to have the best of both worlds, construction and education,” Royer says. “Coming from an education background, this is the most unique school corporation just because of the people. It is such a laid back and friendly atmosphere, and the people are wonderful.”

In his role of overseeing the maintenance and care of FRHC’s buildings, grounds and buses, Royer says all that stands between he and what is envisioned for the corporation is simply a matter of time.

“I see a facility that is wonderful on its own as it is now,” he says. “But there’s a million things that can happen.”

Currently, Royer and Superintendent Shaun Price are working on a long-term plan for the corporation in terms of the facilities, Royer says.

Once the current press box project is completed there are several additional goals on Royer’s radar.

“We are looking at kind of regrouping the athletic facilities by doing some fencing projects and trying to tie the athletics together to make it look nicer,” Royer says.

Another project high on the list is enclosing the big, ugly chillers beside the building that feed the air conditioning, so they aren’t so visible when driving around the building, he adds. Royer says prices are also currently being discussed to figure out what it will cost to replace the peeling graphics on the back of the fieldhouse.

Upgrades to the facility aren’t good just for the school community, but the Hope community overall, he says.

Among the biggest prospects is the Hope Summer Playground.

“We see great things happening with that facility,” Royer says. “We are currently working on pricing and getting bids for making upgrades to that facility, so it isn’t good just for the school community, but the Hope community during tournament type play.”

Realistically, the playground project is one that could take several years to complete, Royer says. But the end goal is worth it.

“We really hope to make it a place that other communities look at and say, ‘Why don’t we do it over there because it is a wonderful place in the country that is beautiful, and we want to be there.'”

Although he maintains a plate filled with obligations, meetings and projects, Royer is able to breathe easier these days and spend time with his wife, Kelly, and sons Evan and Cam. It is a welcomed life/work balance that he intends to enjoy for the foreseeable future, he says.

“There are many wonderful things we have the space and resources to make happen that we are working on and those are my goals,” Royer says. “Hopefully, if I reach all of them it will be time to retire.”