Q+A with <strong>EHS</strong> Teachers Pop Quiz turns the table on teachers and asks them to respond to 11 quick questions. Their enthusiastic responses reveal the values, quirks, and interests that make them so effective in leading <strong>EHS</strong> students. 36
WAYNE JONES History Teacher, Coach, and 11th Grade Dean Wayne Jones considers himself a proud native Houstonian, even though he spent a few years in New York City and Los Angeles as a boy. A lifelong educator, he has taught at Kinkaid, Strake Jesuit, and now six years at Episcopal. At <strong>EHS</strong> he wears many hats, including 11th grade dean, head basketball coach, boys golf coach, U.S. History teacher, Sports and Society teacher, and the facilitator of the School's new SEED (Seeking Education Equity and Diversity) project. As a basketball coach, Jones has led numerous Houston‐area teams to division finals, and in 2013 he ended a 17‐year drought at Episcopal with an SPC Boys Basketball Championship. Both of his sons graduated from Episcopal, Colby in 2014 and Canyon in 2016. If Jones isn't on campus, you can find him on the greens or in the kitchen cooking up some Italian cuisine. What's on your playlist right now? My playlist is very eclectic! I have a little bit of everything—some Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Jason Aldean, a lot of Jay Z, Dr. Dre, and Biggie, with some Sam Hunt, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Wale, and Migos sprinkled in. What was the first concert you attended? RUN‐DMC and the Beastie Boys in Madison Square Garden, a bucket list event for me during my youth. If you weren't a teacher, what would you pick for a career? I would definitely be a golf pro. Golf is a passion of mine, and if I were not good enough to be on a professional tour, teaching golf to others would be so satisfying. What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment is being a father to my two sons, Colby and Canyon. I have been truly blessed watching them grow into young men and having been part of that everyday process with them. Do you have a favorite app or tech gadget? I am not a tech person, but I have fallen in love with my Apple Watch. I still can't use most of the features, but it's fun finding new things it can do all the time. Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired your career? My mother was my mentor who stressed education and "paying it forward." She emphasized to my brother and me how important education is and that it is our duty to help educate others. If you could travel back in time, what period of history would you choose? The 1960s. I love the zeal and grit that individuals had during that time period. Most people were fighting for some type of right or social justice and they helped lay many of the foundations that we take for granted today. What trait do you most admire in your colleagues? The ability to work with different types of students. We have students from different backgrounds, different religions, different parts of the city, and we make it work every day for the betterment of the individual student. That is a trait most schools wish they had from a faculty and staff. What trait do you most admire in your students? The ability to multitask. We ask so much from them on a daily basis and they seem to always come through—sometimes with a little prodding. The vast majority of our students are very active in at least three of our Four <strong>Pillars</strong>. It is amazing to watch them do all the things we ask of them. Read any good books recently? The Greatest: My Own Story by Muhammad Ali. Ali is an icon of mine, not because of the things he did in the ring, but for the things he did outside of it. To go from being one of the most execrated men in the America to being loved by most is truly transformative. If you could eat only one meal this week, what would it be? A great aged ribeye with mashed potatoes and asparagus. 37