It Happened in Crawford County: Erin Jones loves helping children succeed
Erin Jones is a daughter of Gary Fields, who wrote sports stories for the Mansfield News Journal, and his wife Patricia Kooken. Erin’s sisters are Megan and Courtney Fields. Erin grew up in Crestline, where she lives now. She is a soprano and was very involved in the music program — show choir, Royal Blue Express, concert choir and the solo and ensemble competition. She worked at the Crestline Public Library in high school and also helped care for her sisters. Erin was interested in English and science and then graduated in 2000 from Crestline High School.
After school, Erin moved to Flint, Michigan, and planned on attending "that school up north.” Instead, wires got crossed and lost in translation. She planned to be a pediatrician, which meant a lot of money. With her two younger sisters, her parents couldn’t help her the way they would have liked. She thought she had all her ducks in a row until she found out the University of Michigan planned to charge out-of-state tuition. With that news, she visited Charles Mott Community College and flipped through the catalogs to see what she wanted to be. She landed on occupational therapy, which she hadn’t heard of before. She was also able to live with her aunt and uncle while going to school. It was a great help. To help support herself, she worked at a bank and Target until she graduated in 2005.
Occupational therapy or OT, looks at the job of everyday living — whether you are a handy man in his 40s, homemaker in her 70s or a child, OT looks at a skill to access your daily life. After graduation, Erin did a brief assignment at a local hospital in Flint. Then she started talking to her future husband online. She just packed her bags and moved back home to Crestline. She got a job at the Galion Community Hospital rather quickly. She was the OT assistant on the rehab unit and extended care; it was like a nursing facility in the hospital. When Mill Creek Nursing Home opened, the unit at the hospital closed. Erin transitioned and went to work at Olentangy Woods, owned by the same company. She spent about three years at each place. When her dad, Gary, passed away in 2009, Erin needed a change of scenery.
Erin married John Jones in 2010, who also had graduated in 2000 with the same class as Erin. John’s young son, Carter, became a part of Erin’s life, and she had a new role to play. John is an electrical and mechanical engineer with a great sense of humor. He also works on automobiles. John has restored a number of vehicles, including a 1948 Chevrolet Style Master, which he married to an early Corvette chassis.
One day, Erin got a random call while at work. A local school district was looking for a therapist. Schools typically acquire therapists through a service center. What started out as an offer for one day of work quickly turned into a full week's worth of work. Erin left the nursing facility and has been at home in the school systems ever since. The elementary school job worked well because her initial goal was to be a pediatrician and working with kids. After a very short time, in 2012, they "pushed her" to start working with the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center in Mansfield. At the same time, Erin became mom to her daughter, Mila Jones.
Eventually, Erin was assigned to work in the Bucyrus City Schools, primarily in the elementary building. When Bucyrus City Schools changed service providers in 2019, she fought to stay at Bucyrus and hired on with North Central Ohio Educational Service Center. This is her ninth year at Bucyrus. She loves working there with her co-workers and students. Erin says it just feels like home. The children she works with are generally on IEPs through the school district and they provide related services for each child. Erin provides the occupational therapy piece. She never runs away from situations. She usually "runs in head first" and "full blast" to fight hard for her students to get what they need.
“They are my people," Erin added.
Erin tries to be the best wife and mom. She also owns Ginger Snapps Photography in Crestline. She volunteers for the Crestline Community Development Team, too. She tries to be very involved in children’s sports — maybe a team meal or taking pictures at a cross country meet. She enjoys traveling, karaoke and making crafts, including glitter tumblers. Erin helps daughter Mila with her business called Freckle Face Customs. Mila makes jewelry, key chains, earrings and barrettes.
In closing, Erin says she is a "people person" and likes helping where she can, especially supporting her students — so much so that this enthusiastic gal has to hear the supportive words from her husband, "Sit down!" She already has a full schedule, but she tries to look at another day and say "Yes I can. I’ll help you.”
Go online for more of Mary Fox’s stories and photos on bucyrustelegraphforum.com. If you are interested in sharing a story, write Mary Fox, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or email littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Occupational Therapist Erin Jones helping Bucyrus students succeed
