Two-time retiree returns to education roots
Newcastle’s Board of Education appointed local resident Ron Lock to the vacated Board 1 seat. He was publicly sworn in to the position at the board’s June 24 meeting.
Lock and his wife, Angela, have lived in Newcastle for the past 15 years. Lock is the father of four sons and he has five grandchildren.
A two-time retiree, Lock said his interest in serving on the school board was piqued after reading an article in the Newcastle Pacer saying a seat had been vacated and the board was looking for someone in seat 1. He and Angela live near 32nd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Lock worked with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as a Parole Officer in the north district of Oklahoma City from 1979 through 2003 when he retired. He then was hired for Community Sentencing, working in management with substance abusers, writing policy, setting salaries, hiring and firing, through 2013, and then retiring.
Lock said it was a rewarding experience, and he learned a lot about administration — something he believes will help him as he makes decision on the school board.
LOCK: students need problem solving skills
Lock is a graduate of U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1978 from the University of Oklahoma. He said when he graduated, he couldn’t find a job, adding that he had an emphasis on middle school English. At the time, he was told that schools wouldn’t hire a man for the position.
Lock said instead, he worked in construction for a while and then started his career at the Department of Corrections. He said they had insurance and benefits — all the things a family was looking for.
He said over the years, he most enjoyed working with people. He not only enjoyed working with the offenders who came to his office, but also he enjoyed the administrative portion and critical thinking aspects of the job.
These experiences, he believes, will also aid him in making decisions for the students and teachers in Newcastle Public Schools. Lock said he is the kind of person who is willing to speak his mind, but also is willing to listen to what is on the minds of others.
He said he thinks highly of those who are on the board and of Superintendent Dr. Cathy Walker.
Lock said the challenges for NPS are immense with all the rapid growth in the community and the many new housing additions, but he is also excited to be a part of meeting those challenges.
Lock said the important thing about school is that it teaches problem solving skills and communication skills.
“You can’t fix something without an education,” Lock said. “It doesn’t matter whether you want to be a brick layer, a parole officer, a police officer, a firefighter, or if you want to work on the family farm, you have to have problem solving skills.”
Lock said he wants the best for Newcastle’s students and teachers, and he believes he will enjoy being a part of the school system as a board of education member.
