René Glass: Teacher Bio
I grew up in southwest Virginia and now call Hendersonville home. I have one very spoiled Chihuahua and three very lazy cats. I love outdoor activities especially paddling, fly fishing and biking. One of my most memorable adventures is biking the Hiawatha trail from Montana into Idaho navigating 10 tunnels and crossing the Bitterroot mountain range. The longest tunnel was almost 2 miles long. The views from the high trestles were an amazing sight.
My love for a good adventure takes me to strange places. One such adventure involved a tank and a lot of mud. This tank was not just a big car you refer to as the tank, but a real military tank. My friends and family felt driving a tank would be a wonderful birthday present. It was great driving through monster mud holes that were so deep they almost covered the tank.
I earned my Bachelors of Arts – Physical Education degree from Emory & Henry College and went on to earn my Masters of Science in Physical Education from Ohio University. Prior to starting my teaching career, I worked for the Girl Scouts in several capacities in both West Virginia and South Carolina.
In high school and college, I played multiple sports including volleyball, basketball, track, and softball. I have continued my love for sports through professional involvement as a volleyball official at the high school, club and collegiate levels.
In 2005, I had the opportunity to enter the field of education, pursuing my true passion. I’ve taught in both Henderson and Buncombe Counties and in elementary, middle and now high school levels. From 2014 – 2016, I managed the Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant. It was a federal grant for more than $2.25 million dollars. The grant provided much needed equipment, professional development and technology to the physical education teachers and students in our school district.
I’m excited to be part of the awesomeness at Martin L. Nesbitt Discovery Academy. I will be teaching Health & Physical Education – PED 211 which includes new games, life-long fitness and team building. Students in my classes will experience the integration of technology throughout their health & physical education class. Many people ask, “why do you need technology in PE ?” Good question. Health & Physical Education should be a 21st century classroom. I have the students using their devices in a variety of ways. Students will use their devices to maintain a digital notebook, heart rate monitors are used daily to collect and analyze data, and for the use of video editing software to create skill evaluations. Students also have access to the fitness lab with virtual reality bikes that are connected to the other high schools in Buncombe County.