Photo Credit: Dana Everly
Some of the new teachers at SHS take a minute out of their busy day to have their photos taken.
Dana Everly, Reporter
October 11, 2011
Filed under Knight Life, Top Stories
Spotsylvania high school gets new teachers every year. This year we have seven new teachers, and here is a little information about them.
What college did you go to?
Dennis Sizemore: Va Tech
Brian Jacobs: Christopher Newport University
Keely Maitland: I earned my B.S. in Psychology from Radford University in 2005 & my M.Ed (Master of Education) in School Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2008.
Harold Nuckols: Bridgewater College for BS degree in Health Ed., Physical Ed. and Cert. in Drivers Ed., Virginia Commonwealth Univ. for Masters in Ed. Leadership
Shawn Kelley: I graduated from the great Marshall University in Huntington, WV.
Patrick Maginnis: Sage Graduate School in Troy, NY Mass.; College of Liberal Arts, State University of NY @ Albany Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
What brought you to SHS?
Mr. Sizemore: Still wanted to teach after retiring from 26.5 years of teaching in Northern Va.
Mr. Jacobs: I grew up in Spotsylvania County and love the area and the schools.
Ms. Maitland : I have lived most of my life in Fredericksburg and I graduated from Chancellor High. I was very excited when a School Counselor position opened up here at SHS because it was in my hometown.
Mr. Nuckols : After leaving the classroom in 2007 I had been seeking a return and was fortunate enough to get an interview with Mr. Davis and gladly accepted the offer to come and teach/coach here.
Mr. Kelley : . I currently live in Caroline County. I used to work at Colonial Forge High School and I hated the drive! In addition, my wife and I enjoy being a part of the community where we teach. Working at Spotsy makes it easier for me to go to football and basketball games, as well as take part in all the other activities that the administration provide (I’m really looking forward to Halloween!)
Mr. Maginnis : Opportunity to teach in the Governor’s School.
What subject(s) do you teach? Why?
Mr. Sizemore: Agriculture, because of its diversity and challenges. Its scope is endless and the opportunities are tremendous. Besides, it has the best youth organization going-The FFA!
Mr. Jacobs: I currently teach Band and Orchestra. Music is my passion and sharing it with others is very rewarding.
Ms. Maitland : I work with 10th-12th grade students with last names D-M. Working with high-school-aged students is very rewarding. It’s great to see student’s mature and grow from their 9th grade year to the time they graduate and head off to work, tech school, military service, or college.
Mr. Nuckols : I teach 10th grade Health/Drivers Ed. and Physical Education. Because this is the area in which I enjoy working and also an area of need for Spotsy High.
Mr. Kelley : I teach AP Human Geography, AP Government (both of these in the Commonwealth Governor’s School) and also teach freshmen World Geography. I have always had an affinity for social studies. It is a subject I truly enjoy teaching.
Mr. Maginnis : AP European History and AP US History. Ever since I lived in Lexington, Mass., I fell in love with history and knew I wanted to be a teacher.
Did you want to be a teacher when you were a child? If not, what did you want to be?
Mr. Sizemore: No; cowboy
Mr. Jacobs: I knew in 7th grade I wanted to be a band director.
Ms. Maitland: When I was little, I was very involved in dance, therefore I was pretty set on becoming a prima ballerina. I changed my mind in high school and decided to go to college.
Mr. Nuckols: No. I thought I would be a lawyer as a child, but some of the teachers and coaches in my high school experience influenced my life in a way that lead me to desire to teach and coach.
Mr. Kelley: I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be…and I’m still not sure! I really liked the discussion I had with my senior social studies teacher back in WV. He inspired me to be a teacher.
Mr. Miginnis: Yes!
What is your favorite experience being a teacher?
Mr. Sizemore: Working with interested young people who genuinely want to learn what you have to offer.
Mr. Jacobs: The end of a performance when I can see the pride and excitement in the students’ faces.
Ms. Maitland: My favorite experience being a counselor is getting to know my students and watching them walk across the stage on the day of graduation.
Mr. Nuckols: Seeing the students participate in an activity and enjoy the experience. When a student tells me “I can’t…” I will always enjoy helping them get to the point of saying “I did…”
Mr. Kelley: The best experience as a teacher is catching up with your students several years after they’ve left. I like seeing how they’ve progressed in life, and it makes me feel good knowing that I have contributed to their development.
Mr. Miginnis: Being able to connect with kids and working closely with my colleagues. I try to pass on my love of history to my students by making my classroom a comfortable and fun place to be in.
What grade(s) do you teach? Why?
Mr. Sizemore: Basically ninth (1st year of Ag. Ed. ) because of the need of the dept.
Mr. Jacobs: I teach 9-12 band and orchestra.
Ms. Maitland: 10th-12th
Mr. Nuckols: I teach 10th grade because that is the area needed here at Spotsy, but I had taught ninth grade for 16 years at my previous school.
Mr. Kelley: I teach 9th (World Geography), 10th (AP Government), and 12th graders (AP Human Geography).
Mr. Maginnis: I have taught grades 7-12 over the past 15 years, but here at SHS/CGS I teach 9th and 11th.
What are some of your hobbies?
Mr. Sizemore: motorcycle adventures, fishing, hunting, sports, etc.
Mr. Jacobs: I enjoy outdoor activities: running, camping, kayaking and hiking. I also serve on the board for the Fredericksburg Community Concert Band.
Ms. Maitland: I like to find sharks teeth and sea shells on the Potomac River and at the beach. I like to hang out with friends and go dancing. I like to take classes at the gym. I like to try new recipes and cook. And I like to travel and visit family.
Mr. Nuckols: My wife and four kids consume any free time. I guess they are my hobby. I have a son who plays little league football, and another [son] who has a chicken coop, which I helped him build this past summer. (He has eight chickens and plans to sell the eggs.) Occasionally my family and I have worked through our church with the homeless, orphaned, or hungry, which is always a joy for us.
Mr. Kelley: Hobbies? What are those? I’m way too busy for those things. Seriously, I love college football. I can’t get enough of it. I also really like gardening in the summer. When I was a kid it seemed like the dumbest thing in the world to do, but as an adult I really enjoy it. I also LOVE coaching my daughter’s soccer team. She is 7. This spring I hope to also coach my four year old’s soccer team. Honestly, my kids eat up all of my free time….and I love it!
Mr. Maginnis: I love to golf, play tennis, and hockey. I also enjoy coaching tennis and softball.
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