Teacher of the Month - Steve Gravelle

Posted

on Apr 01, 2015

Henry Weisser introduced the principal of Blevins Middle School, David Linehan, to introduce the Teacher of the Month. Principal Linehan, at Blevins for 14 years, said he was proud of the students and staff and that our future was in good hands. He said that the Teacher of the Month, Steve Gravelle, was picked because the students rally around him, trust and respect him, look at him as a role model and are inspired by him. Some of that comes from the challenges he lives with and has overcome..

Mr. Gravelle said that he has a degree in Physics and started in the space program. His students call him a Rocket Scientist as he was the lead scientist in the development of the guidance system of the Patriot Missile. He then was employed by General Electric Medical Systems where he was the lead designer for x-ray tubes. Due to wanting to get back to Colorado, he took a job at Agilent Technology. After 9/11, when sales dropped to almost zero, he said to himself, “Oh man, I am doing the wrong thing.” He then spent time getting a M.S. in Education and 4 years at Olander Elementary before interviewing for the job at Blevins. Currently he teaches 6th grade math at Blevins. In between, he took a years leave fighting cancer. He had a stem cell transplant at the Mayo Clinic, but has been left with some challenges.

Steve Gravelle said that the students and staff in the Poudre School District are unbelievable. He said that the award was a great honor and thanked us. His presentation left little doubt why the students are inspired, etc., by Mr. Gravelle.