From Algebra Teacher to Assistant Principal

Greg Garris

Tommy Parish, Writer

A graduate of Thomas Worthington High School, the University of Wooster, and Ohio Dominican University, Greg Garris is in his first year as an assistant principal.  Garris was a math teacher for five years, but last year when Assistant Principal Julie King retired and Assistant Principal Rebecca Chattman moved out of state, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to become part of the administration at TW.

In an interview, Garris explained that the biggest change for him was the transition. He said it was difficult “going from focusing on a core group of 120 student to having to go to a full-building perspective.”  While his teaching position allowed him to build relationships with that “core group,” his administrative position allows him to work with “a variety of students on a daily basis” instead of the same ones each day, and Garris enjoys this especially. Garris misses the ability to have “lasting relationships” with students in his classes, but his goal is to foster the same type of relationships as an assistant principal.  Because of his new position, Garris has more duties and makes more decisions that affect the entire school, and he says this is “both positive and negative.” 

Garris does miss teaching.  He said that “besides Taylor Tuesdays…the part I miss most about teaching math is helping students understand difficult concepts and watching the ‘light bulb’ go off when they finally get it.”

Though he’s missing out on the epiphanies in the classroom, Garris said, “each day I am amazed at the awesome things that go on at TWHS!”