School Board honors former JMS principal Moss
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The Oak Ridge Board of Education has voted to honor Robert Moss, retired Jefferson Middle School principal and social studies teacher.
The library at Jefferson Middle will be renamed the Robert Moss Library. A dedication ceremony is set for 4 p.m. March 3 at the school, according to his wife, Carolynne Moss.
Phil Cox, current principal of the school, stated in a document that Moss joined Jefferson in 1966 as a social studies teacher. He served as assistant principal from 1968 through 1973 and as principal from 1974 through 2000.
Board of Education Vice Chairwoman Laura McLean made the motion to honor Moss and School Board member Erin Webb seconded.
“A teacher, lifelong learner, book lover and leader at heart, Mr. Moss inspired an entire generation of Jefferson students and teachers to academic excellence,” Cox told the Board of Education at its Nov. 22 meeting. "A lot of the things we do at Jefferson Middle School is a credit to Robert Moss and what he developed over the years."
Cox credited former and current Jefferson Middle School staff members, including former social studies teacher Steve Reddick, with the decision to honor Moss.
"There's been several influential educators and leaders in Oak Ridge. I think Mr. Moss ranks right up there with the top," Cox said. "I look at what I'm able to do and what we're able to do each day, and the foundation that he laid for all of us."
He gave the example of students at the school taking notes even when they're on the Colonial Williamsburg Field Trip as an example of the "high expectations" the school has had and continues to have.
"I'm sure he would be very pleased that the library would be the place that would be selected to cement his legacy in the Oak Ridge Schools, so thank you for that," School Board Chairman Keys Fillauer said at the same school board meeting, audio of which is available online.
Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal and email him at bpounds@oakridger.com
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: School Board honors former JMS principal Moss
