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Diverse Experiences Bring Wealth of Knowledge to Gray Stone Staff “Education is our Passport to the Future” – Malcolm X |
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By Raegan Perry MISENHEIMER, NC - A school with the primary focus of preparing its students for college must have the most qualified teachers around. Gray Stone Day School, a charter school located on the campus of Pfeiffer University, has a variety of teachers who have essential differences in their backgrounds that prove imperative to the standard learning environment. Each of the school’s Spanish teachers, Gayle Brinson and Matt Smith, has studied abroad. Brinson attended the University of Mexico and Smith was a professor at a university in Peru. Their experience in Spanish speaking countries is evident in their teachings and their students place exceptionally high on the college foreign language placement exams. Garrett Anderson, a new Cadet at West Point Military Academy, took Spanish with Brinson for four years and was part of the Spanish National Honor Society. On his Spanish placement test, he scored the second highest of all the Cadets in the Military Academy. Andrew Hodges, teaching Advanced Placement and Honors English IV, grew up in England where he attended the University of York. The senior English course is specifically focused on British Literature, which is Hodges’ expertise. Richard Miller, the guidance counselor and the Advanced Placement European History teacher has been to Europe fourteen times and has extensive knowledge of the continent. Gray Stone has actually brought teachers out of retirement to become a part of the teaching staff. Danny Blalock, Doyle Shaw and Gayle Brinson are Gray Stones “oldie goldies,” a phrase coined by school founder Helen Nance, who have years of experience, teaching at different schools. Not only has Gray Stone brought teachers out of retirement, but also fresh out of college. The Junior English teacher, Megan Crain grew up in Pennsylvania and recently graduated from Clarion University in Pittsburg. Jeff Walter is a favorite among the Carolina Tar Heel fans at Gray Stone. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and came to the school to teach World History and Twentieth-Century History and also coached the Mock Trial team to the state competition in 2007 and is the men’s and women’s tennis coach. These young teachers bring a breath of fresh air and new ideas to the table. The Physical Education teacher, Taina Shaw, is a former State Bureau of Investigation officer and serves as a favorite teacher among many of the students. The new Advanced Placement and Honors U.S. History and Civics teacher, Mr. Wilson, is a former professional baseball player. He played on a New York Yankees farm team, the AAA Clippers, for three and a half years. Wanting to combine his love for history, kids and baseball, he will be coaching the varsity baseball team this spring. As an experienced math teacher, Robin Dassler, was asked to help pilot a Texas Instruments technology program. In the first week of her AP Statistics class, her students did a project on the color distribution in packages of M&M candies, which proved to be helpful as an introduction to statistics and make for a fun environment for the students. Gray Stone Day School already stands out from the rest of the school because of the campus location, the advanced students and the diverse teachers. Ninety-eight percent of graduates from Gray Stone Day School pursue college degrees. Diversity is key in the college preparatory program at Gray Stone because when these students go to universities they will find their professors to be especially diverse. Being at Gray Stone, the students receive a taste of what is to come in their future. |
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