Speer’s Farewell to Founding Staff Member, Jamelle Newsome

Jamelle Newsome was a founding physical education teacher at Speer. He is from St. Louis and graduated from Maplewood Richmond Heights High School in 2001. He first wanted to work at Speer because, according to him “I was brought over from a different high school, so at that point Speer was kind of an idea.  It sounded pretty cool to be apart of a new beginning, so I agreed to become the founding Physical Education teacher.” Being a senior and seeing my freshman physical eduction teacher decided to part ways made me really look back and think about all of those long lectures at the beginning of my A5 gym class. While at the time I dreaded going to A5 because I knew it would be a new lecture every time, I started to appreciate them and really take in what he was saying.

Before Newsome officially left Speer I got the chance to interview him and ask questions everyone was curious about. Starting off with why he chooses to teach Freshmen out of all grade levels. “Freshmen aren’t as bad as people believe.  They will become exactly what you allow them to become. If you provide structure, direction, room for trial and error, and firm love, they will flourish for years to come. If you provide the opposite, they will set your school on a path of implosion and destruction. I enjoy the challenge of this phenomenon.”

I also asked him the following questions: 

– What’s one of your favorite memories working at Speer?

Favorite memories come from both coaching and teaching freshmen all of these years.  Coaching so many athletes to the pinnacle of the high school experience has been incredibly rewarding.  But teaching freshman and guiding them through the initial shock of the high school always made me smile.  Especially when students begin to figure it all out and maturation in the following years.  Those stories make the endurance worthwhile for teachers.

– Who was one of your best colleagues working at Speer and why? 

I love many of our staff members.  They know who they are… But the P.E. team of Moebus, Cancel, and Lozada are family.  You would not believe what we have been through and survived by binding into one.   Kind of reminds me of the Power Rangers who as individuals had weaknesses but when it was “Morphing Time” they were unconquerable.  They are so impactful to me; leaving them felt like betrayal or abandonment.  But as true friends would do, I receive their love and support to this very moment. Coach Arq and Anais Hernandez are honorary members of our team and are family as well.

Hearing that Newsome is leaving Speer caught me as well as everyone else by surprise because we thought he would be here until he retires as he’s already been here for such a long time and conquered so many accomplishments here. This is a bittersweet moment because it sucks that he is leaving Speer but this also means a new chapter and beginning for him, so I asked what is he looking forward to most about this next chapter in his career; “In the short term, I look forward to the challenge of the unknown that keeps me energized, yet anxious.  In the long term, I’d like to enter school leadership in an at-risk community where strong, bold, leadership is needed most.  Maybe even professionally turn around failing schools…” This is one of my favorite responses because this is so on brand for him and I feel like there are kids out there that needs Newsome’s wisdom and guidance. In recognition of Newsome, Speer dedicated a football game to him and held a ceremony for him at the end that was emotional and memorable and a small way to show how much love and appreciation there is for him. I couldn’t let him leave without letting him give some words of wisdom to Speer students, here’s what he had to share; “Everyone plays the role of a fool at some point but smart people learn from error and the persistent folly of the permanent fool.  Follow the rules, not the fools!”