ST. GEORGE — When he entered the “tent” of the Washington County School District as superintendent in April 2013, he did not want to be in the “spotlight.” However knowing he wanted to do what was best for the kids, he expected to be.

Larry Bergeson has officially begun his step out of that spotlight as his retirement, which officially begins June 1, with a retirement party May 19.

Richard Holmes was announced as his replacement back in February. And since then, Bergeson has been busy training Holmes to enter the spotlight he is exiting.

When asked about his career in education by describing it according to a movie, he compared all of his years and experiences to “The Greatest Showman.”

“I can’t think of anything greater than being involved in education,” Bergeson said. “I wouldn’t have traded my occupation for anything.”

During an interview with St. George News, Bergeson chatted about his life, his career and his retirement plans. He gave some advice and views on the “show” that was his 41-year career, which included a massive growth in student population, a top-of-the-state performance for school districts and new policy regarding controversial issues.

“The thing about ‘The Greatest Showman’ is you take anybody and everybody,” Bergeson said. “We take anybody and everybody and we make the best product that we can.”

Bergeson said the most critical aspect of education is helping the progression of kids.

“It is ‘we’ because it takes a village to raise a child, the whole community to have a positive educational program,” he said.

The opening act

The prologue begins when he was born in Blackfoot, Idaho. Bergeson moved to St. George when he was 3 years old.

“St. George was a different place,” he said. “It reminded me of the movie ‘The Sandlot.’ Swimming pools, vacant lot baseball, running all over town and nobody is worried about you. It was a different time.”

He attended the old East Elementary and then moved to Driggs, Idaho, in 1968. After graduating from Teton High School, he went to the College of Southern Idaho to play basketball. It was here that the team was nationally ranked and was in Sports Illustrated.

After a year of playing ball, he served a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint mission in Australia from 1977-79.

Upon his return home, he and married his wife, Terry, while playing basketball for Utah State University. He was part of the Aggies team that made the NCAA Tournament in 1979-1980. In 1980, they lost the first round to Clemson University, which Bergeson said was their toughest challenge.

He started his career in education after graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education, teaching in Preston, Idaho.

“It was Napoleon Dynamite’s high school,” Bergeson said.

In fact, he talked about how the secretary in the movie was the secretary when he was there. Several other people in the movie, he knew personally.

He then relocated to Wyoming in 1986. He was a director of special education for three years and a high school principal for eight years.

In fall of 2001, he came back to Southern Utah and was principal at Hurricane High School for six years. Then he was principal of Dixie High School for another six years, before becoming superintendent of the district in 2013.

Bergeson will be ending his career with 10 years as a superintendent.

Cancellation of ‘The Show’ due to COVID

“That was a big, big hurdle,” he said of the impact of COVID-19 on education. “A big disruption. Not just for education, but everyone was affected by that.

“Fortunately in this state, particularly in this community, we were supported by all of the local dignitaries from mayors to county commissioners to legislatures and especially Dr. David Blodgett, our health director.”

School was canceled in spring of 2020, but thanks to the support he mentioned, they were able to have kids back in school in person within a year.

“We learned during spring 2020, it was pretty rough on the kids academically,” Bergeson said. “It was even harder socially and emotionally.”

The decision to keep the kids in schools made a difference compared with other states and school districts. He said the students showed better results and were less affected by the stresses of the pandemic.

Side acts

Besides being superintendent, Bergeson has held administrative roles or supported multiple other organizations within the state.

He has been a board of trustees member for Utah Tech University since 2014. He is also the president of the Utah School Superintendents Association, even speaking to the state Legislature in the past legislative session in opposition of the newly passed H.B. 215.

He also sits on several other boards at the state level.

Before he was superintendent, he was on the Utah High School Athletics Association Executive Committee from 2010-13.

Drew Williams of Utah Arts Academy had expressed deep respect and gratitude to Bergeson for all of the support he had given to the public charter school back at the grand opening of the school in February.

It was through his efforts that the academy had a meeting place, among other things, during the time the school transitioned from the label of Tuacahn.

“We work really good with other entities, public and private, and just try to do what is best for kids,” Bergeson added.

Behind the curtain

Still active, Bergeson competes in both the Huntsman Senior Games and the Utah Summer Games.

He loves being outdoors, hiking and playing a few rounds on the golf course. He admits he is not the world’s best golfer but highly recommends all the golf courses here, especially Dixie Red Hills for “his age as it is only nine holes and shorter.”

Bergeson remains a big sports fan who cheers for all of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming colleges.

He said he will look for opportunities to help and serve where he can.

“It’s always good to give back to people who give to you,” Bergeson said.

Retirement needs may include hobbies, but he said his family will be at the top of his leisure list.

“It will be fun to have the freedom and flexibility to spend time and be with them. I look forward to that,” he said.

The drop of the curtains

“I haven’t thought that far,” the soft rock music lover said about his retirement future. “It is busy enough right now, but I will be looking at spending more time with grandkids.”

Bergeson has four children with 11 grandchildren and he plans to spend as much time as possible with them. He said he would like to travel a little and also go visit Idaho again.

And he and his wife plan on serving a “service mission” for their church.

“That will come in time,” he said, mentioning that he has a family member in assisted living who will be first priority before the mission.

“Hopefully as we do that, our kids will see how we take care of their grandparents, so they will take care of us when that time comes,” he said with a smile and laugh.

The epilogue

There is much he would like to say for his final hurrah to the school district, but Bergeson said he had the best support and administrative staff, which made the challenge of being superintendent easier and will help the district transition.

“The biggest learning curve was becoming superintendent,” he said, “but the support will help.”

With current-day controversial issues with school safety, economic cultural issues, bullying and more, Bergeson said it has always been vital to do what is in the best interest of the students. He said a public education system is defined with more funding, fewer state mandates, more local regulation, some flexibility and freedom and autonomy to do what the district thinks is best.

As well as within the district, holding people accountable with checks and balances in place has worked well here, and Bergeson said he hopes the state continues to work in that manner with the school district in allowing more flexibility and local control.

“I am excited for Richard Holmes. I am excited for the school district and this community that has supported me and making it really all about the kids.”

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