Teacher Cultivates Students

By the time Jasper County Primary School second grade teacher Ginny Spurlock gets her students each year some of them have had some form of education for up to five years, but may lack interest in education and how it relates to their lives.

In her 17 years at JCPS, Mrs. Spurlock has used her creativity and imagination to help hundreds of students come alive and find their own creativity and interests. She is cultivating these students for whatever life gives them in the future. But just how was Ginny Spurlock cultivated?

A Valdosta native, Ginny, said she was motivated by her father, Fred Sorrells, who instilled in her the love of learning and life. Her father wanted to be a doctor, but did not get to finish his education as the Depression put an end to his dream when he had to help support his family.

With his enthusiasm for curiosity, he taught her the joys of thinking, questioning, and seeking answers. “I promised my father I would finish college, and I would use that knowledge to help open doors for others.”

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After graduating from Valdosta High School in 1970, Ginny did start college, but two years later she married the love of her life, Steve Spurlock, and postponed her education. It would be another 16 years before she would graduate from Valdosta State College with a degree in Early Childhood Education.

Before she acquired her degree which is required for public school teachers, she taught Pre-K at a private school in Valdosta for six years. In 1982, the family moved to Waycross and Mrs. Spurlock became a paraprofessional in the Ware County school system. She attended college while working fulltime and finally in 1988 she fulfilled her dream and promise to her father and graduated from college. Her professors honored her with the award, Most Outstanding Early Childhood Education student at Valdosta State class of 1988.

With her degree in hand, she could finally became a public school teacher and she taught kindergarten and first grade in the Ware County school system for seven years. In 1995, she was honored as their Teacher of the Year.

That same year, her husband was transferred to Eatonton and she began teaching second grade at Jasper County Primary School.

“I have taught all 17 of my years at Jasper County in the same classroom.” In 2000, she again was selected by her faculty and staff as their Teacher of the Year for Jasper County Primary School. Mrs. Spurlock will retire in May, 2012.

Her philosophy of teaching is simply, “Learning is fun, but work hard to get the job done. And also giving a child a positive attitude is one of the greatest gifts I can give them.”

Being a creative person, Mrs. Spurlock wants learning to be fun, surprising her students by dressing as the Mad Scientist complete with lab coat when studying science, becoming a Pilgrim from the Past for social studies and as a flight attendant for a pretend trip to Australia. Recently she encouraged her students to research their favorite person and then found ways to incorporate their findings into classroom assignments. “All children cannot be taught the same way.”

Mrs. Spurlock and her husband live on Lake Oconee and although she could teach in Putnam County she loves teaching in Jasper, her school and fellow teachers and staff. They have two grown daughters, Renee and Rachel. Both of her daughters have followed in their mother’s creative footsteps. Renee lives in Savannah and works for Savannah College of Art and Design and Rachel lives in Eatonton and manages Paper Soiree, designing custom made invitations and planning coordinator for events and parties.

After retirement, the Spurlocks have a trip to Alaska planned. Then Mrs. Spurlock wants to continue her interest in a unique program, Dog Therapy Reading Program. Her love of dogs, she is the owner of three King Charles Cavaliers, Lottie, Dolly and Rosa, and a 12-year-old Sheltie, Taylor, will help her continue working with the therapy program as she hopes to certify her own dogs.

“Having the dogs in the classroom during reading time and before testing has proven to lower the stress level of students.” Since beginning the program and having the story covered by a Macon television station, schools in surrounding communities have inquired about starting their own dog therapy reading programs.

Jasper County Primary will sorely miss “Miss Ginny” when she retires, but where ever she hangs her many hats in the future, teaching will be a part of it. Life will never be dull for Mrs. Spurlock.

Thank you for helping to cultivate our students and congratulations on your many successes.