“I’m very happy for the opportunity to serve the students, parents, teachers and community members of the South Tama Community School District. Everyone has made me feel very welcomed here and I look forward to helping the school district move forward in a positive way,” new South Tama Superintendent of Schools Jeff Berger said.

Hired initially for one year, with duties beginning on July 1, Berger said in an interview last week he looks forward to becoming even more acquainted with the school district and area. He has moved to an apartment in Tama from West Des Moines.

Berger has a bit of connection to the area to go with his wealth of experience in the education field.

A native of South Amana, Berger recalls “running on the cinder track at the Iowa Juvenile Home” in Toledo while he was a high school student in the Amana Colonies. His sister, Jennifer Wrage, rural Gladbrook, teaches in the Gladbrook-Reinbeck schools. His father, age 84, is still active in South Amana operating Berger’s Rugs, a rug weaving business under family ownership there for more than 100 years.

With a 34-year career in education, Berger most recently served as the Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Education where he held various positions over 19-years. He got his start teaching science, physics and math at Bellevue Nebr. following graduation from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

He received an M.A. in counseling from Wayne State University in Nebraska and worked in two other Nebraska schools and in Wichita, Kan. Upon returning to his home state he was a counselor at West Des Moines Valley before moving to the state Department of Education.

He received a doctorate in Educational Leadership form Iowa State University.

Berger said in his statement he has already started to meet members of the community and school district and that future opportunities will be made available for the community ot meet him.

“It is very apparent that there is good support for the school system and that there are many goofd programs nad opportunities for students through the schools,” Berger said.