The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

by Deb Olson, The Quill

Meet your neighbor Ryan Olson, Superintendent for La Harpe CSD 347 and Dallas ESD 327. He and his family live in La Harpe.

Ryan was born in Carthage and raised in Dallas City. His parents are Steve and Hope Olson of Dallas City.

His dad worked at J. I. Case in Burlington, IA., and his mother worked as a nurse at FMCH in Fort Madison, IA. Both are now retired.

Ryan's twin brother, Nathan and his wife Jenna, live in Florissant, MO. Nathan is an airline pilot.

Ryan's sister, Brooke Wisener, who lives in Dallas City, is studying to be a nurse.

Ryan's grandparents, Andy Olson and the late Jean Olson, and the late John Schroeder and Anna Schroeder all lived in Dallas City.

Ryan graduated from Dallas City High School in 1995. He attended Illinois State University, graduating with his B.S. in Psychology in 1999. He earned a certificate as a Specialist in School Psychology from Western Illinois University in 2002.

In 2011, he graduated from Concordia College as a Doctor of Education.

Ryan began his career as a school psychologist in Crystal Lake, IL. He has been a director of Special Education, both in Illinois and on an Indian Reservation in Arizona.

Prior to taking the Superintendent's job, Ryan was the principal at an alternative school in Peoria.

Ryan married Candace Anderson in 2006. She is a stay at home mom to their three children, Tessa who is in 3rd grade, Reese who is in first grade and three year old Anderson.

Ryan attends the La Harpe Christian Church, is a member of the Lion's Club and MENSA, and is a volunteer firefighter with the La Harpe Fire Department. He has a brown belt in Kokado Jujutsu and trains at the Tanigawa Dojo in Stronghurst.

He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and kids, whenever possible.

Ryan said that he and his family didn't travel or vacation when he was young, so he tries to let his kids experience some of the things he wasn't able to do at their ages.

When asked about future plans, Dr. Olson mentions that one of the items on his bucket list is to travel to Japan to train in Kokodo Jujutsu with its founder, Irie Sake.