Dr. Greg Harlan may not have walked the halls of St. James R-1 High School more years than anyone else.

But you could probably count fingers on one hand as to how many people who rank ahead of him.

Harlan, a 1989 STJ graduate, officially completed his impressive run of student-athlete, teacher, coach and administrator at the school last month when he retired as St. James High Principal.

His final day as principal was May 21. Bryan Carty will be replacing Harlan in that position.

Harlan got in 30 years, 7 1/2 months in some capacity - a little at the St. James Middle School and the vast majority at the St. James High School buildings. He will probably soon be joined in retirement by his wife Cheryl - also a St. James High graduate -  who will teach in her 29th year during the 2026-27 school year.

“I’ve been (in the school district) since before Kindergarten, in 1976, I guess,” Harlan said. “Being a student and everything else, I’d say there are not many who have been at the high school longer. Louie Donati and John Hodge, teachers and administrators for a long time, and teacher Kathleen James all had 40-plus years. And Bob and Barb Smith have got to go back at least 20 years. I started in the high school building in 1982, when grades 7-12 were in the building together. 

“The older say, ‘Days are long and years are fast.’ The last 10 years went by fast for me.”

Like all longtime educators, Harlan has seen many changes in secondary education in years past  - some good, some maybe not so good.

“To me, the big thing is how education has changed in 30 years,” he said. “When I started there was a single class with computers. Now, everyone in the whole building has a computer. I think students 30 years ago tended to be more individual than they are now. But students then did not have to deal with as much as students today have to. Sometimes kids today need to have a little more teaching to navigate, with all they have to do.”

Harlan has a Bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Central Missouri, a Master’s degree in educational leadership from Missouri Baptist, a Specialist degree from William Woods University and his Doctorate from William Woods University.

After completing college teaching certification, Harlan returned home.

“I started teaching here (full-time) in 1996-97, he said. “In 1995-96 I taught the second semester in the school district. I wanted to come back; stay home or in this general area. When I got fully certified to teach (in 1996), Ron Yocum (a teacher/coach) left the school and he left a position in the science department, which I got.”

During his high school career as a student, Harlan was a multi-sport standout, including being a two-time all-state running back for the football Tigers as a junior and senior.

He has never taught or coached outside his hometown.

Harlan, age 55, taught biology, life science, introductory physics, physical education and weight training during his span as a high school teacher.

He was boys’ basketball head coach from 2000-03, replacing Phil West. He was Tiger football head coach for 12 years, coaching two of his sons to all-state status.

He was also assistant football coach for 11 years, assistant boys’ basketball coach six years and was an assistant track coach, mostly for recently-retired Joe Campbell, for 11 years.

Among the highlights in Greg Harlan’s coaching career was coaching his sons. Like dad, Jake (Class of 2012) and Ryan (Class of 2018) were all-state football players at quarterback and defensive back, respectively. Both went on to play collegiate football. And third son Cooper (Class of 2024) also stood out in football, like his brothers playing the quarterback position. Cooper went on to play one season at Missouri S&T.

“Getting the opportunity to coach Jake and Ryan was fun. I never coached Coop officially, although he had a coach at home! But it had a downside, too. With me there, Jake and Ryan could never get away from the game...or their coach. I’m sure it was difficult at times.”

He has been in St. James School Administration for the past eight years.

Harlan left coaching when he replaced the retired Phil West as STJ athletic director for three school years, until 2021 when he was named the school’s assistant principal.

He was elevated as the school’s principal for the last two school years. And this past school year Harlan was named Principal of the Year by the South-Central Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals - fine sendoff for three decades of work in his hometown.

Now, after more than 30 years of teaching, coaching and administration, he’s ready to be finished as a full-time educator.

He thinks.

“I’m sure I’ll miss it,” Harlan said. “I’ve loved all of it - teaching, coaching, administration. But I liked being in the classroom and coaching most. You get a chance to be around the kids on a daily basis. The most enjoyable was coaching, no question. You got to know the kids outside the classroom. Being in administration is not the same; you don’t interact with the kids in the same capacity.
“The people I’ve talked to say (retirement) is a good thing. But I worry about getting bored!”