This story was originally published in the first edition of The Lion’s Tale (October 7th, 2021).

From the elementary dynamic of administrative duties to the high school position, Mr. Townsend is extremely excited to join the Oviedo High School staff. Many students have prior relationships with our new SAM, due to his status at Lawton Elementary where some OHS students previously attended.

Mr. Townsend’s bubbly and extravagant personality brings excitement and joy to our school. Everyone who has worked with him has commented on his positive attitude and outgoing tendencies.

“Jeff Townsend is very funny, so his personality is great to be around. He will keep you laughing.” said Dr. Daniel.

While there are many differences between his previous job and his job here such as students being in up to seven different classes a day rather than just one or two, he is fully prepared and able to take on this role.

“If something’s not broken, there’s no need to fix it.” Townsend said in regards to some of the things he is going to do differently than our previous SAM.

The main difference between Townsend and Mr. G, our previous SAM, is that Townsend is much more involved in students’ lives, merely because he has gotten to know most of OHS students their whole educational life. He commented on how he is also going to be asking a lot of questions, similar to much of our administrative staff, to ensure that he is doing the best he can to keep our school running smoothly.

His experience with most students on campus is extremely important to his effect on campus. The prior relationships he has built with students has instilled a trust that is valuable to both the student and Mr. Townsend. Having a person to come and talk to on campus that students are comfortable being open and honest with is significant to their growth as people and for their academic success.

“I can’t wait for students to come back here and say ‘Hey here’s what I’m doing and I’m doing this because of Oviedo High School and because of somebody from elementary school or high school.” said Townsend.

The encouragement from administration and teachers helps students pursue their future in the easiest way possible. The staff at OHS helps students reach their fullest potential everyday through their support and involvement with every student’s education.

Townsend’s door is always open for students to come in and just talk to him or solve an issue that might be too daunting to handle alone. Even if it’s a small issue that seems irrelevant, mentioning it to someone a student trusts on campus is beneficial for everyone. It tells admin that if there were to be a bigger issue, then students would feel comfortable enough to seek help from them.

It is their job to help students figure out what they want to achieve and how they are going to get there. Having administrators such as Mr. Townsend, Dr. Daniel, and many others help students thrive and reach their goals. The support and involvement pushes students to always try their hardest to make the people who helped them the most proud.