“ If you ’ re teaching first grade , you ’ ve got a room of 20 to 25 kids that are very dependent on you . Probably up to fourth and fifth grade , it ’ s just a different ballgame . If you ’ re teaching twelfth grade , by the end of the year , almost all of your students are 18 . they ’ re young adults .”
Although Spillman is a classroom teacher , when asked about the best part of going back to school for students , his thoughts turned immediately to all the fall sports and activities – football , soccer , and volleyball for sports , the Jumper Walk and Homecoming for everyone .
He described himself as being “ sort of in charge ” of the Jumper Walk , the beginning of the year kickoff to the Briar Jumpers ’ football season , which sees students from all three Somerset Independent schools march from SHS to Clark Field at Meece Middle .
Spillman said this will be the district ’ s 15th year of putting on the Jumper Walk .
“ It ’ s just become this huge , massive demonstration of school spirit , and the unique thing about it is the participants range from kindergarten to twelfth grade .
I can ’ t think of anything else that would fall in this category . It ’ s the one thing at Somerset School system that involves all 13 grade levels .”
He then moves on to Homecoming , and describes how it ’ s a rewarding week for everyone , from the students to the parents who help put together the floats for the parade .
“ I also find that from a teacher ’ s standpoint , going to the bus garage multiple nights that week while the students and their parents are building those floats is when you really get to talk to kids outside of the classroom . That ’ s when you learn some more things about them . Their interests , their hobbies , what kind of music they listen to .”
He talks about how important the school musical is for the morale of the students who put that on each year , and how Prom is such a moving experience for teachers and parents , seeing all those young adults dressed up , some getting to wear formal attire for the very first time .
And then , there ’ s graduation . “ That ’ s the big one . That ’ s the end ,” he said .
“ I feel like the older I get , there ’ s a little more of an emotional experience with it than whenever I was 25 or 30 years old . I think I might see of the lens of – and I ’ m not even a parent – but through their lens more than what I did when I was younger . Maybe because I ’ m seeing my peers seeing their kid leave .”
In fact , the majority of the things Spillman talked about were events and activities that happened outside the classroom . Not that he thinks the actual school work isn ’ t important , but …
“ I believe if your school experience in high school is simply clocking in at 8 a . m . and clocking out at 3 p . m ., and it ’ s just school , that ’ s probably not going to provide a ton of memories you ’ re going to take throughout your lifetime . I think it ’ s so important to be plugged in to the school , whether it ’ s some kind of sport [ or activity ] … you have incredible experiences with band programs , music programs , and the bonds and the relationships that the students create in that environment where creatives minds can create things together .”
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August 2023 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 17