SRO Vern picked out some of his favorite pictures taken in first year including playing follow the leader, posing with the state bound high school track team, and grabbing a pic with the state bound girls wrestling team (above). PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Kids are outside playing, the pool is open, and the weather is blistering, which means only one thing. It is summer. School has finally been let out, marking the end of the first school year with South Tama’s brand new School Resource Officer, Vern Jefferson.

Are you wondering how it went? Well, the paper sent good ol’ Vern a few questions to see how his first year as STC’s SRO went. It turns out the job hasn’t exactly been what Vern thought it was going to be when he took the position. Surprisingly, it is better than he could have imagined. Rewarding is the word Vern used when he spoke of his recent position because it is his work with the students that has had the biggest effect on him throughout the year.

“Seeing the results of the relationship building with students is very positive,” he said.

Building relationships with the hundreds and hundreds of students of STC has just been the whipped cream on the cookie for Vern, as his job specifically, keeping everyone safe, has been a delight as well. Vern has been loving his job at STC with such a passion that having to leave the school at the end of every day has been the hardest part of the job.

From the rugrats to the teenagers, the entire school district’s student body has accepted Vern as one of their own.

“The number of smiles and greetings I get are almost more than doubled since I have started,” he said.

SRO Jefferson’s little hole-in-the-wall office at the high school has been a popular place, just like he had wanted. His open-door, just-stop-on-by policy has been well received. Vern talked about his office.

“Students always stop by the office either to grab a snack or just to say ‘Hi.’ I have a popcorn machine and a small fridge to keep water chilled for the students at the high school. I am planning a small office at the Middle School this coming year,” he said.

With the new school year just a few months away, Vern is looking forward to starting his second year.

“I’ll keep the same positive attitude but be able to interact with the students more this coming year,” he said.

Just like the kids, Vern is on his summer break now, but he’s not out lying in the sun. He still has to work. One thing Jefferson has done so far this season is attend the Iowa School Resource Officer Conference.

Always the photogenic one, Vern posed for a photo at the conference with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Grossman gave a presentation at the conference on safe schools and healthy students.

You may see Vern out and about before school starts up again in the fall, as for the next few months he will be working for the Toledo Police Department. Whether he is out on patrol or helping with nuisance abatement issues this summer, I think it is safe to say, his heart will be waiting to get back in the school.