By Connor Latlip

The Jag

Long time social studies teacher and football coach Jamie Fournier is pulling the plug from South after a 29-year teaching career and a 24-year coaching career.  

In his own days as a student, Fournier started at Longview Community College, then after he got his 63 credit hours, he transferred to Missouri State where he got his bachelor’s degree. After Missouri State, Fournier came back home and attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City and got his master’s and specialist’s degrees.  

The reason that Fournier is leaving South is because he can collect his pension, so he can still work and earn his pension at the same time. Also, to help his family financially in the future. 

“I can double my income by retiring now, and then when I’m young enough I can still work for a few more years.” Fournier said.  

During Fournier’s so-called retirement, he will be a 7^th grade history teacher at a charter school called Guadalupe Centers High School in Kansas City. He said that it would be a cool experience to try out something new.  

“It will be a really awesome opportunity to work with a different demographic, so I’m looking forward to it.” Fournier said.  

Before Fournier taught at South, he was a teacher at Moreland Ridge Middle School for a couple of years, then he taught at Blue Springs South for two years. After two years at South, he took a job at Delta Woods Middle School as the assistant principal for a few years. However, Fournier missed teaching and coaching, so he went back to South in 2013 and has stayed here ever since. 

“I missed the classroom a lot. That’s why I got back into teaching. I missed being around kids that are positive, and I also missed coaching too,” he said.  

When Fournier started teaching at Moreland Ridge in 1997-1999, he loved going to South Friday night football games and he loved the school spirit too, and this is the place that he wanted to teach at.  

“I love this, this is where I hope I get a job, and the next year I was lucky enough to come to South to teach and coach,” said Fournier.  

What made Fournier’s time here at South unforgettable was the culture that he was a part of: winning 3 state championships in football, and getting to see the basketball team win the state championship in 2013.  

 “When you’re a part of a culture with success, winning three state titles in football. It becomes engrained, and the feeling of success, and the culture it creates is really special. It’s not just basketball and football, it’s all of the different activities. I’m a big proponent of activities, and students being involved in sports help create the culture here at South. It’s just a culture of winning and I love it,” Fournier said.  

What Fournier will miss most about South is the players he got to coach over the years and being a part of the football program. He’s going to miss his teacher friends that he formed friendships with over the years as well.  

“I’m going to miss my history department and my colleges because I’ve become such good friends with so many of them, and I’m going to miss coach (Adam) Courter, and coach Reynolds. So, yeah, I’ll miss being a part of that.” Said Fournier.