President Sandi Keyser introduced Superintendent Dr. Robert "Bob" Grimesey, who has been at the helm of Moore County Schools since July 1. Dr. Grimesey spent the first portion of our meeting seeking to capsulize his vision. He said that we need to strike a balance between the federal and state "fetish" of testing and the creativity and autonomy that are needed in every classroom.
He had this group of retirees hooked when, by chance, he referenced Dr. Madeline Hunter, who had a powerful influence over most Moore County teachers in the late 1970's to early 1980's. No doubt, her influence lives on.
He spoke of the celebration in three area staff convocations in a manner akin to revival. He found a sympathetic audience as he spoke passionately of a desire to recapture or recreate a sense of family in our school system. Having served 31 years in Virginia, Dr. Grimesey assured us he still "some ammunition in his chamber" and intends to finish his career here. After hearing a taste of his wisdom and enthusiasm, we are hoping his stay will be a long one.
In the business portion of our meeting that followed, Sandi had to keep up a quick pace to cover our agenda. We had the usual reports, a memorial service for Brownie Parish, and set up school liaisons for information sharing. We accepted delegates for our March State Convention, went over community participation survey and report sheets, and passed out an array of helpful NCRSP documents. These included, in part, our mission and purpose statement, new regional maps, lists of our local officers and committee chairs, and our Moore County calendar.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 3, at 10:00 in the Moore County Schools Board Room. The program will include Christmas safety and a Christmas party with entertainment. Members are reminded to pass the word to other retirees who may wish to join our "merry band."
