Dave Gray
If ever in need of a handyman or landscaper at your home, contact Mr. Dave Gray. Students fortunate to learn under Gray assuredly have heard or asked for the entirety of his many home adventures he seemingly finds himself into on the weekends. Often times asking him the most riveting of questions on a wearisome Monday: “Did you go to Home Depot this weekend, Mr. Gray?” will be the spark to get his students engaged for a week full of learning.
Although Gray’s frequent witty remarks offer students a desired change of pace from the repetitive days of study, he too knows how to seamlessly balance that with making sure students are successful in their academic endeavors.
Mrs. Laura Flangel, teacher in the schools social studies department who teaches alongside Gray in multiple classes, can attest to his relentless passion to help all — both students and faculty — in his daily encounterments and his impressive array of mastery in each subject he takes head on.
“Mr. Gray not only knows his history, but has a wonderful sense of humor that adds much texture and fun to our classroom. Students absolutely gravitate to him and adore him. “I know our students will miss hearing about his trips to Home Depot and the process of cutting his lawn! I rely upon Mr. Gray’s insights to guarantee I am best serving all of our students and really enjoy working with him as co-teacher.”
Gray co-teaches two classes with Flangel, two with math teacher Ms. Tia Rupnik, a stand alone United States history class for the special education department, and on top of all of that, he currently coaches boys swimming and freshman volleyball. If that was not enough, he has two children at home that equally receive the same straight-faced sarcastic humor from Gray as do his students at LFHS.
The positive contributions Gray brings to the table in so many different parts of LFHS does not go unnoticed by students either. Andrew Rhomberg, who has Gray as a swim coach and is in Flangel and Gray’s 6th period U.S. history class, sees the same cordial character as does Flangel.
“He’s like a father figure because he’s always ready to crack a joke, but he’s also always ready to reach out and help anyone,” Rhomberg said.
His quintessential mixture between flexibility, selflessness, humor, and of course expertise in all things home improvement makes Gray an individual anyone would want to spend their day around. He never fails to get the job done, making him the handyman in more ways than just one.
“Mr. Gray is admired by so many students. He makes them smile and laugh everyday. He is very genuine, and students are able to connect with him for that and so much more,” Rupnik said.