Volume 73 No. 5
School
801 "WestoveFTerrace
Greemhoro. NC 27408
December 18, 1996
Christie Jolinson, a freshman, is being rec
ognized by '"TEEN" Magazine. Johnson was
selected as one of200 candidates out of 10.000
applications that will progress to Level I of
TEEN" Magazine's 1997 Miss Teenage
America Program. Johnson now competes for
one of 40 semifinalist positions.
If 3'ou are interested in taking eitlier tlie SAT I
or the SAT 11 on January 25, 1997 the registra
tion deadline is December 20.
/’lease join tire Greensboro Grimsle\' Senior
High School Alumni & Friends Association.
This organization will support activities here
at Grimsle}'. For more information contact the
GHS Main Office.
Crimsle}''s counseling center will be holding
a Fmancial Aid Night on Thursday, January
16 at 7 P.M. in tire Media Center. Representa
tives from UNCG's fmancial aid office nail dis
cuss proper metliods for filling out die FAFS A
(Free Application for Federal Aid) and addi
tional sources of money drat are ar ailable to
students.
Cuilford College will be offering an SAT
preparation course wliich will take place on
February 15. 22 and March 1,8. The cost of
die program is $190.
(/rimsley's Ami>' JROTC defeated Southeast
Higli School's Navy JROTC in the second an
nual Amiy/Navy JROTC flag football game.
Touchdowns for Grirnsley were scored bv' Dion
Hicks. LaBrian Thacker, and Robert
Carrington. Thefmal score was 21-14.
Mr. Saunders retires aft©
28 years at Qrimsley
By Brian Schiller
News Editor
Twice as long as some of die freslmien
have been alive, that's how long Mr.
Saunders has been teaching at Grimslev’
Higli School. If you've done your math,
you've figured out that Mr.
Saunders arrived at
Grirnsley in the late 1960's,
1968 to be e.xact.
Before begiiming Ids
teaching career, Mr.
Samiders had earned die re
spect of his peers by gradu
ating at the top of his Idgli
school class, being elected
Senior Class President, per-
fonidng as a drum major at
Western Carolina Univer
sity, and acting as president
of Ids fraternity at Western
Carolina. Both in high
school and at Western Caro
lina Mr. Saunders found
himself in the classroom of
Dr. BaxterNorton who be
came a good friend and role
model, and was responsible
for encouraging Mr.
Saimdefs desire to teach.
During his tenure at
Grimslev’. Mr. Saunders has
become a legend in die madi
department. He has taught
every level of niadi offered
within die department and
mitiated the calculus program in the early
197()’s. The 21 years he has spent teach
ing calculus in Room 411 have seen him
build a reputation for phenomenal scores
on the Advanced Placement Calculus
exam. In the past five years only one of
his students scored below a diree (consid
ered to be a passing grade out of 5 possible
points) on this exam. Because Mr.
Saunders demands excellent attendance
from Ids smdents, he imposed that crite
rion on Idmself. By diis school year he
had accumulated more that 200 days of sick
leave in reserve. Mr. Saunders has also held
die posidon of Math Department Chairman
since 1984. In diat dme he has worked within
the department to strengdien Grirnsley's niadi
program in all areas. In additon to helping Ids
own department. Mr. Samiders also befriended
fj n.
V -.^v
•m
Mr. vSaitiiders t!i
1979, 1989, and
ClDckwi.so from topicft: 1969,
roiigii the apes.
1996
other teachers. "He is a dear friend who was
fun to work with and made me laugli every
day," said Mrs. Earnhardt, a science teacher.
■'He made niadi his life." said Ms. Cooper,
a teacher in the math department. Mr.
Saunders was known to go to great lengths
such as arriving by 7:30 A.M. every morning
and staying after school to further his students'
mideistanding of madi. Another niadi teacher
who worked widi Mr. Saunders during his first
years at Grirnsley, Mrs. Julie Roe, recalled that
she was impressed by Ids sense of humor and
eer-
leadens
page 7
his discipline in the classroom. Many of his
students had also come to rely on his ability
to return all papers on die day follow ing the
works' subndttal.
Mr. Samiders' dedicadon to his students is
one of the reasons that his departure has been
hard for tlie Grirnsley conmimdty to accept.
Because Ids retirement came
mie.xpectedly. he has not had
C / T time to make any plans for die
^ ’ future. Mr. Saunders did ex
press his hope that Ids students
would understand why he
couldn't condnue to teach.
"He always had his stu
dents at heart and wanted all
of his students to succeed."
said Ms. Roe. "He is a won
derful person, a good friend,
and a teacher that can't be re
placed."
In return for his sacrifices
Mr. Saunders’ students have
come to value him as one of
their most helpful, influen
tial, and effective teachers.
"He always knew whether or
not you were working to the
best of your ability.” said
Meagan Renn. a 1996
Grirnsley graduate, "The
only reason he was ever ill
or cranky was to help y ou do
better."
"He is a great teacher who
brings out the best efforts in
all his students." said James
Williams, a senior. "Once the e.xperieiice
of having him as a teacher is over, you re
ally start to realizeJust how much you Jiiiss
him. said Meaghan Graves, a senior.
Mr. Saunders has received several hon
ors for his dedication including Greensboro
City Schools Teacher of the Year and be
ing named as the system's Math Teacher
of the Year on two separate occasions. In
addition Mr. Saunders has received numer
ous letters from universities commending
him on the excellent preparation he has
given his students.
"I coasted through my math major at
Chapel Hill largely because of him.” said
Ms. Rohan, a teacher in the matli depart
ment and a Saunders graduate, "He was one
of the main reasons I wanted to teach. "
Despite a teaching style that catches
many students off guard and forces them
to perform at their highest potential, Mr.
Saunders is a favorite of many of his stu
dents. ' Fve had lots of outstanding stu
dents," said Mr. Saunders, w'hile many re
member him as one of their most outstand
ing teachers.
If7fr77/yjy photos