Forever Rockwood: Oct. 30, 2025

"Forever Rockwood" is a series in which the Rockwood School District features alumni from Eureka, Lafayette, Marquette and Rockwood Summit high schools who make a lasting impact on their communities.

Read some of their stories below. If you have a "Forever Rockwood" candidate in mind, please send information about them to commdept@rsdmo.org.

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Eric Hill (Rockwood Summit Class of 2004), Spanish teacher, Rockwood Summit High

Eric Hill was a Rockwood School District student from kindergarten through graduation, attending Stanton Elementary, Rockwood South Middle and Rockwood Summit High.

Now, as a Spanish teacher at Rockwood Summit, Hill can appreciate the closeness of the community from a different vantage point. some of his favorite memories revolve around Falcons sports: coaching in five state finals with the girls soccer team -- two as head coach -- and winning a Mid States Club Hockey Association Wickenheiser Cup state championship with the ice hockey team in 2013.

"I enjoyed my time as a student in Rockwood," he said. "The Fenton community was and still is very centered around all of our schools in the quadrant and has made the Rockwood experience a great one!" 

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Jon Petter (Eureka Class of 1999), psychology teacher and cross country/track and field coach, Webster Groves High

Jon Petter, the AP Psychology teacher and boys cross country and track and field coach at Webster Groves High, can trace aspects of his current career directly back to some of the influential educators he enjoyed as a K-12 Rockwood student at Geggie Elementary, LaSalle Springs Middle and Eureka High.

"I have extremely fond memories of my time at Geggie with Mr. Grimshaw as my gym teacher - he got me excited about running as a young kid - and most of all at Eureka High with Coach Tom Kickham, who was my track coach and psychology teacher. He got me so excited about psychology I made it my career," Petter said. "Coach Mark Kimball, who was my cross country coach and Anatomy teacher, was a 'father figure' to me and was my example very early on about how to approach life and coaching. I have used so many lessons in my own coaching career."

Petter has grown both the AP Psychology class rolls and the prestige of the running programs during his time at Webster Groves. This past spring, the Statesmen won their first boys track and field title since 1931, and Petter earned Coach of the Year honors from the Missouri State High School Athletic Association and the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association.

He also organizes an annual alumni race and running events for elementary and middle school students in the district to help cultivate students' love for running at an early age.

"Rockwood was always pushing me to be the best version of myself," Petter said. "I was able to find so many great mentors within my years in Rockwood. It was great to be able to go through an entire school 'career' in one district that was so well connected, cared for its students and offered so many great ways to get involved and connected. Rockwood School District will always hold a special place in my heart because it gave me so much of who I am today thanks to so many great systems, people and programs.  I am proud to say that I graduated from Eureka High School!"

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Emily Sumner (Lafayette Class of 2005), math teacher, LaSalle Springs

Emily Sumner's family moved into the Rockwood School District from Texas for her sophomore year of high school. She thrived as a Lancer and, now in her 16th year teaching at LaSalle Springs, has made a home in the community.

"I had a wonderful high school experience," Sumner said. "My favorite memories during my time at Lafayette are all my experiences on (the) Escadrille (dance team). I made lasting friendships and loved performing on Friday nights!"

Early in her educational career, as a coach at Eureka High, she also met her husband: Jake, a Eureka teacher and the current head football coach for the Wildcats. They have four boys: two at Eureka Elementary and two who will attend there soon.

"We love our community," she said. "We are a family of Wildcats and love it!"