Students and faculty at Swift Creek Middle School are mourning the loss of a well-known teacher and coach. John Krol passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. In an email to school parents, Principal Dr. Kerri Evans said his family reported he experienced a blood clot in his lung.
According to the JCPS website, Mr. Krol lived in Clayton with his wife and five boys. He had been a teacher for 17 years in Johnston County having taught math, science and social studies. He was also the head football and baseball coach at Swift Creek Middle.
Coach Krol grew up in Ohio and moved to North Carolina in 2003. He was a graduate of Clarion University in Pennsylvania, according to the district website.
Dr. Evans said, “Mr. Krol has been serving students in Johnston County Public Schools for multiple years before coming to Swift Creek in 2017 when we opened our doors as a new school. He has been an integral part of who we are today because of his commitment and dedication to students through teaching, coaching and mentoring at Swift Creek and the greater community. The passing of Mr. Krol is a loss for our Swift Creek Wolf PACK and he will be greatly missed by our staff, students, and community.”
On behalf of the Johnston County Public School Board, Chairman Todd Sutton released a statement this afternoon saying, “We are sorry to hear about the loss. We send our deepest sympathy to the family of Mr. Krol. Our thoughts are with them during this time.”
Grief counselors will be available for students over the holiday break and when they return to school.
