However , he said that first year went “ shockingly well .”
Fast forward through the years , and Spillman talks about one of the most unique experiences in his teaching career : The class of 2022 ’ s graduation .
“ We went through a lot with that particular group of students ,” Spillman said . “ Same thing with the group that just graduated , but I think [ 2022 ] was a little more hot off of the COVID experience . There were some of the students we didn ’ t see for a year and a half during their four-year run . That was a very emotional graduation year , and I think it was because we went through a lot with those students together .
“ In many cases , especially their junior year , not all of them were there [ in the classroom ]. But those who were , you might have been in a room teaching a half a dozen , 10 kids . That creates a very different dynamic that is much more laid back . Much more authentic . And a lot of real conversations happened . You were really down in the trenches with those students .
“ I actually did something that I ’ d never done before , and I ’ m almost embarrassed I didn ’ t do it this year . I wrote , probably , a dozen , maybe 15 different students a hand-written , fullpage letter and gave it to them . And what ’ s interesting is , a lot of them did the same thing for us .
“... That whole experience of COVID and virtual school and the weirdness of the whole thing created a unique bond . I ’ m not sure that will ever be duplicated – I kind of hope it isn ’ t in a way , just because of the circumstances . But at the same time , that was very special .”
Spillman currently takes on a wide variety of high school and college level math classes for SHS students . That
includes ninth and tenth grade Geometry , dual credit / AP ( Advanced Placement ) Statistics which offers that dual credit through SCC , a different Statistics class that is dual credit through Campbellsville University , Liberal Arts Math – a course for those who are seeking a college degree in a non-math related field , College Algebra through SCC , and Technical Algebra which is more geared towards people looking for a two-year degree in a technical field .
Those AP or dual credit classes have been a huge boon for high school students ,
he said , and he points out that all the local high schools – not just SHS – are doing a great job with offering those options .
He noted that being able to earn college credit while still in high school gives those students a boost within their college careers , allowing those seeking a four-year degree to complete their studies in three or even two years .
Back to school time is rapidly approaching , but Spillman joked that since the interview for this article took place in early July , he was still in “ summer mode .”
“ It ’ s funny , after 23 years , you still have to re-acclimate when August rolls around ,” he said . “ And it ’ s funny how I have to remind myself of all the things that I do at the beginning of the school year , getting everything ready . Because when you ’ re not there for over two months , you really do get out of the habit .”
Because he teaches multiple grades , Spillman said he is used to starting a new school year with about 50 % of the students being ones he ’ s taught in previous years , and 50 % being new faces to him .
“ It ’ s always really good to reconnect with the familiar faces , but with all the new faces , that ’ s just the beginning of new relationship building , and getting to know them as not just students but also as individuals . That ’ s always fun , just the first few weeks stepping back and observing how people interact and what people are about .”
While he has only taught on the high school level , Spillman talked about how the beginning of the school year can be hectic for teachers at any level , especially elementary school teachers , who put in a lot of work preparing and teaching their classes .
“ It is a grind from August to May , even with the breaks . … You ’ ve still got to get stuff ready . I know a lot of teachers , Sunday afternoons and evenings are a lot of times occupied by getting ready for the week . Especially elementary – elementary school teachers put in staggering hours . Probably more than I would say any other level of education .”
High school can be a lot of work , too , he said , but , “ At high school , you don ’ t have the same group of kids . Throughout most of the day , every 45 to 60 minutes , another group of kids comes in . They ’ re not as dependent on you . It ’ s a bit more subject based .
16 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky august 2023