Virtual School Reunion

     Welcome to our King Springs Virtual Reunion. This year we celebrate our 50th anniversary.  If you or someone you know was a student at King Springs we hope you will enjoy this page.  Should you  like to participate in the reunion you may email pictures and greetings/memories to our webmaster or bring your things by the school.
     To the right is a picture of Mr. Tommy Gillespie's 4th grade class.  Mr. Gillespie's brother, Gerald, later became principal of King Springs Elementary.
      Save February 23rd!  We are planning a big Anniversary Party from 2:00-4:00.  Click here for details.		  

 

Mr. Gillespie's 4th grade class, '58 -' 59

 

                          Mrs. Shay (Plunkett) Riggins
    Have you ever experienced déjà vu?  Teaching at King Springs emanates a kind of déjà vu for me.  I started attending here in 1980, back when kindergarten was a half day program and continued my elementary years here until 1985.  Numerous wonderful memories come to mind when remembering my time spent at King Springs. 
     Each individual has one teacher that stands head and shoulders above the rest when feeling nostalgic.  For me, it was Mrs. Woolsey.  She made learning fun with her magnificent personality. You never knew what to expect from her.  For example, she would sometimes dance on desk tops, and at other times she would belt out a song.  Mrs. Woolsey also had terrific little sayings to help her students remember important procedures.  My favorite was the mnemonic device for long division:  Dumb monkeys shouldn’t brag!  Mrs. Woolsey had such an impact on me as a young student; so much so, in fact, that I chose the same career.  I want to impact the lives of my students and make learning exciting for them, just like Mrs. Woolsey did for my childhood friends and me. 
    King Springs has such a special place in my heart.  Teaching in the same school that I attended as a child makes me feel like I have come full circle.  To know that I am even a part of the 50th Anniversary for King Springs alone makes me feel proud of not only my past, but of my present and future as well.

  

 


     Shay Plunkett Riggins, 4th grade, '84 - '85

 

  
Mrs. Riggins and family, 2007

                                           Ellen Woolsey

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to one of your teacher’s teachers?  Well, our class did, and boy did we have a blast when we had the honor of interviewing Mrs. Ellen Woolsey!  Mrs. Woolsey was Mrs. Riggins’ 4th grade teacher, as well as her all time FAVORITE TEACHER!  Our class had never seen Mrs. Riggins so excited before.  When the office called our room to tell us Mrs. Woolsey was here, Mrs. Riggins started jumping up and down!  We even heard her scream when she saw her former teacher walking down the hall.  It was obvious to us, that Mrs. Riggins had been touched by Mrs. Woolsey. 
    Our 5th grade class had many questions for Mrs. Woolsey.  Below are just a few of the questions we asked, and her responses.  

What historical events took place during your time at King Springs?

The historical event that Mrs. Woolsey remembers vividly is the day the Challenger exploded.  It was a teacher workday and teachers had been watching TV while they worked, and were shocked by the news.   

Who/what had the greatest impact on you during your time at King Springs?

The people of Kings Springs had the greatest impact on Mrs. Woolsey, as well as her husband, whom she married while teaching at King Springs.  She also loved everyone she worked with.  Mr. Gillespie, a former principal, was one of her favorites.  He treated all the faculty and staff like a family.

What is your fondest memory of King Springs?

One of the fondest memories was when Mr. Gillespie, a former principal told the teachers to dress up for a faculty picture, and they surprised him with their attire.  When the teachers went outside for the photo, Mr. Gillespie was shocked to find his entire faculty dressed like they had just gotten out of bed.  All the teachers had on bathrobes, house shoes, and rollers in their hair. 

What has changed the most since you were at King Springs?

Many things have changed since Mrs. Woolsey retired.  One of the first things she mentioned was the trailers that are now in the front of the school.  The trailers have greatly impacted the parking arrangements.  Another thing she mentioned was the number of computers that are in the classrooms, as well as the new computerized check-in system. 

What is one thing you would have liked to have changed about King Springs when you were here?

The one thing that Mrs. Woolsey would have liked to change was the number of meetings teachers had to attend. 

Where are you now?  What do you do?

Mrs. Woolsey is now retired and living in Blairsville, Georgia with her husband, and puppy, Tanner.  She enjoys taking yoga classes, as well as knitting classes.    

What advice would you give to King Springs' students of today?

The advice that Mrs. Woolsey gave our class was to do their homework, and have their parents look over it. 

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Mrs. Woolsey’s proudest accomplishment was earning her Master’s Degree while teaching full time. 

How many years did you teach here?  What grades did you teach?

Mrs. Woolsey taught at King Springs for 30 years.  She taught 2nd and 3rd grades, but spent the majority of her years teaching 4th grade, which was her favorite grade to teach. 

Was Mrs. Riggins a good student?

Believe it or not, Mrs. Woolsey said Mrs. Riggins was “an absolutely excellent student.”    She even remembered where Mrs. Riggins sat in the 4th grade.     

  



                       Mrs. Ellen Woolsey
                             

                                       Carol Darnell
In 1957 I entered the third grade at the brand new elementary school, King Springs.  At that time there were so many young baby boomers in our school district that  my third grade class was combined with a fourth grade class and held on the stage!  That was fine with me because I had the chance to learn twice as much!  Our teacher, Mrs. Moss, made learning fun.  One learning adventure was called the "Look It Up Club."  The motto I believe was, "We don't wonder, we don't ask, we look it up!"  In reality it was a soft cover book that we filled out while looking up things, but I love it. I went to King Springs through the 8th grade and my memories also include air raid alerts where the whole school would have our mothers come in the middle of the day and pick us up.  And then at other times, when there was an alert,  we would be assembled into the halls and crouch on the floor since there was no air raid shelter.  I'm very thankful that God placed me in an excellent school with kind and competent teachers. It was during this time that I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.  I currently work as a manager in the International Department of In Touch Ministries. 

  


 

Carol Darnell, current photo
                                                      Glenn Jardine
  I was a student at King Springs from 1961 to 1967 and the hair on my neck still stands up every time I see the portrait of Mr. Ward in the library.  I was the lucky recipient of 2 or 3 paddlings from him. In those days you got paddled in the office and then Mr. Ward would call your mother.  I seem to recall Mr. Ward typically said something along the lines of  "this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you".  I don't know if I ever saw him smile when he was around the "boys".  He was ever the disciplinarian and he was in complete control back then.  He was all business.
  One of my most vivid memories is of my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Nicholas.  She was from the old school, very strict and stern.  Every day after the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem, she would have the entire class stand at attention and sing the old Andy Williams song, "I want some red roses for a blue lady". She said she loved the way our little 10-year-old voices sounded when we sang.  We spent the first 3 or 4 weeks with the words on the chalkboard, so I guess we were also learning some "reading & writing" at the time, but I remember this as sheer agony.  Every day of my 5th grade life at King Springs started by singing this song; I can still repeat every word in my sleep to this day.  Ms. Nicholas would sit back in her chair and smile like the happiest person in the world.  We learned quickly that we had to sing the song the best we could, if we tried to slack off, all that did is aggravate her even more and she would growl the rest of the day.  I still count the 5th grade as a life lesson - if all it takes is a 2 minute song early in the morning to make someone feel good the rest of the day, it's probably a good investment - especially if that person is your teacher, boss, or spouse.  Thank you Ms. Nichols.
  Playtime was very unstructured back then.  There was a flat field where the playground equipment now sits and the teachers left us fairly unsupervised.  Every day was a world-class battle between the 6th grade boys vs. the 5th grade boys playing kickball.  This was not a game for sissies and in our version it was perfectly acceptable to hit a guy as hard as you could with the ball at point-blank range.  It was OK to bleed and get dirty but under no circumstances could you go in crying and tattling on anyone.  I always played with the same group of boys that I played Little League baseball with, and I can honestly say that I really looked forward to recess every day.  Being part of a team and working out our own disputes were probably part of Mr. Ward's scheme in preparing us all for the road ahead.  I do think he smiled just a bit when he shook our hands as we graduated from King Springs and headed off to Nash Middle School.  I have no doubts whatsoever that everything he did was for our good and that he always had our best interests at heart. He took a personal interest in everyone in "his" school and he wanted to see them succeed.  I am very happy that we moved back to Smyrna and our daughter Jennifer, and son Alex, both went to King Springs.  Alex is very proud that he has a brick in his honor in Gillespie Gardens right next to his mother, Lisa, who received a brick for her many hours of volunteer work.  King Springs has played an important part in our family's life.		  


                     School year 1961-1962

 


              Glenn & Lisa Jardine Family 2008
                                                       Scottie Miller
   Ms. Woessner and Mrs. Green’s 3rd grade class was excited about interviewing Mrs. Scottie Miller who was a teacher at King Springs from 1968 to 1990. Since she taught 3rd grade, our class was eager to ask her how teaching had changed in the past forty years. Mrs. Miller thought that having computers in the classroom was what had changed the most about teaching. Sharing a love for learning and respect for each other was something that would never change and Mrs. Miller taught our class the “Can Do” song. That meant that each student could work hard and achieve their dreams and goals. Every day, Mrs. Miller would write the words “Can Do” on the chalkboard and let students write what they could do. Even though we have whiteboards in our classroom, we still wrote the words “Can Do” and talked about our goals and dreams. So many questions were asked about Mrs. Miller’s 3rd grade class that we even forgot about our snack time! That shows that Mrs. Miller had us captivated about stories from the past and made us grateful that we have computers in our classroom today.		  



      Mrs. Scottie Miller with current KS students


                                      Judy O'Connor
 This Interview was conducted by the students of Ms. Lemley’s 2nd grade class in January of 2008.  (All answers are paraphrased)

Q: What is your name?
A: Mrs. Judy O’Connor, children called me Mrs. “O”.

Q: What is your relationship to King Springs?
A: Teacher for 25 years, 1975-2000.  Taught both 2nd and 4th grade.

Q: What historical events took place during your time at King Springs?A: The space shuttle crash.  The day was a teacher work day - All of the teachers watched the launch on the television.

Q: Who/what had the greatest impact on you during your time at King Springs?
A: The other teachers and the classes of students. The various classes of children taught me patience and understanding.  My students made me a better teacher and a better person.

Q: What is your fondest memory?
A: Mr. Gillespie, King Springs’ second principal. Mr. Gillespie loved to tease the teachers. One day, all of the teachers got on their rolling chairs and rolled into his office! We wanted to tease him back! Mr. Gillespie always had us make a staff picture on top of the hill. Once, we all wore funny hats!  Lots of good memories of King Springs.

Q: Reflecting on King Springs, what do you miss the most?
A: The camaraderie among the staff.  The entire staff was like a big family. A group of retired teachers still meet once a month.  We call ourselves the “RT’s”. There was a recent article in the paper about our group!

Q: What has changed the most since you were at King Springs?
A: The demands placed on teachers have tremendously increased. When I was a teacher here, we had more flexibility to create our own units of study.  I loved to do dinosaur units. I was known as the “Dinosaur Lady”! There was also not as much testing required of the students.

Q: What is one thing you would have liked to have changed about King Springs when you were here?
A: When I first started at King Springs there was no air conditioning.  We had to open our windows and use fans.  It got really hot in the afternoons! 

Q: What are you doing now?
A. I still live in the same place. Every morning I walk on the Silver Comet Trail. I take a yoga class two times each week. I also volunteer as the treasurer for the Special Olympics.

Q: What advice would you give to King Spring’s students today?
A: Listen to your teacher, stay focused, don’t let others get you in trouble, do the best you can.

Q: What do you know now that you wish you had known during your time at King Springs?
A: I can’t fix everything.  Sometimes you have to look to others to help you out.

Q: What is your proudest accomplishment?
A: Being nominated by my peers as Teacher of the Year.

 

  


Mrs. Judy O'Connor

 


Mrs. "O" with current KS students


                                       Mrs. Gloria Spencer
 This interview was conducted by Mrs. Garriga's kindergarten class:

What is your relationship to King Springs?  I taught for 33 years in grade 1-8 as a supply teacher.  I had a child in school the first year King Springs opened.  I also was in PTA for 3 years before I started as a supply teacher.

 What historical events took place during your time at King Springs?  President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.

What is your fondest memory of King Springs?  All the children.

Reflecting on King Springs, what do you miss the most?  All the children.

Who/what had the greatest impact on you at King Springs?  A man named Levi Wright.  He was the janitor when the school opened.  He loved and cared for every child.  He welcomed everyone into the school when the principal was absent.

What has changed the most since you were at King Springs?  The school only had one hallway, which is now the kindergarten hallway.  There was no covered area out front. 

What is one thing you would have liked to have changed about King Springs when you were here?  There weren’t enough encyclopedias for every grade.

Where are you now?  I live on Cooper Lake Road, close to South Cobb Drive.  I am retired and I take care of my husband.  We travel a lot and play golf.

What advice would you give to King Spring’s students of today?  Learn to read!  Read something everyday.  If you know how to read you can find anything.

What is your proudest accomplishment?  Raising my child, who is now at Emory training new pharmacists and doctors.  Also, all the boys and girls I used to know at this school.

 

  


Mrs. Gloria Spencer, January 2008

                                            Ann Cook
    Ann Cook was a teacher at King Springs for over twenty years.  She began teaching at King Springs in 1966 in a 4th grade classroom.  She taught fifth grade her second year here, then moved to second grade and remained there for eighteen years.  Ms. Cook retired in 1989, however, she did return for three years, from 1996-1999, to work part-time.
    Mrs. Cook remembers King Springs very fondly.  She said the staff was smaller than it is currently and they were all very close friends.  One of her favorite memories was of a Halloween when all of the teachers dressed up in their house coats, slippers, and curlers and paraded around the school.
    The building of King Springs was slightly different when Mrs. Cook was teacher.  Her classroom had no air conditioning and got very hot in the afternoons!  There were not trailers in the front of the school, however, there were some in the back.
    Mr. Gillespie was the principal Mrs. Cook's first year of teaching and she remembers how well liked he was by the staff.  She once asked him if she could hang some plants in her room. By lunch time that day, he had come into her room and hung three hooks so she could hang her plants. She said she was always careful about what she asked for and she made sure it was something she really wanted because Mr. Gillespie was the type of person who was sure to get it for her.
    She gave a little bit of advice to the first grade class that interviewed her.  She told them to listen, do their homework, do their best work, don't make excuses and be the very best you can be!
    Mrs. Cook is very proud of having a successful teaching career as well as raising a happy, successful family.  She has three children with her husband who is also a retired school teacher.  They also have seven grandchildren.  Mrs. Cook still lives in Cobb County and volunteers at the community center and teaches a Sunday School class.		  


                                          Jim Ovbey
                                          by Jazmon
    Did you know that Mr. Ovbey was a principal at King Springs?  I'm going to share with you some of his experiences at King Springs Elementary.  And I  hope that you think he's a good man because he is to me.
    Mr. Ovbey came to King Springs during the information age.  Computers and word processors were being brought to the school.  When we interviewed Mr. Ovbey, he said that when he came here, he thought the number of kids was significant and the teachers were fun and neat.  He also said that he remembers having talent shows and field day on the last day of school.  He misses the children and going to classes watching the students learn and interact.  He misses the teachers too.  Clearly, that is not it.  I have more things to share about his time at King Springs Elementary.
    Furthermore, Mr. Ovbey was a little surprised to see that King Springs didn't look that different from when he was here.  He has been retired for 7 years and he lives on the property on which he grew up. Certainly, you know a lot about him and his time at King Springs, don't you?
    Finally, Mr. Ovbey gave us a little piece of advice.  "Don't underestimate yourself.  Learn as much as you can about anything that you can,"  he said to our 5th grade class.  Indeed, you now know how good of a man Mr. Jim Ovbey is. 		 


Jim Ovbey, current photo

                                      Susan Drinnon
    Mrs. Drinnon was the secretary at King Springs Elementary from 1994-1997.  Mrs. Drinnon’s two children, Stephanie and Josh, went to King Springs, as well as her grandchildren, Drue and Jase, who currently attend KS. 
    During her 4 years as secretary, Mrs. Drinnon never missed a day of work!  Ms. Patsy Oliver was the Principal at the time and a great mentor to Mrs. Drinnon.
    When she was secretary, KS did not have a nurse, so any students who felt sick would come to her.  She recalls 3 students coming to the office sick in one day and they all threw up!  To make things even worse, all 3 students missed her trash can!  Gross!!   
    Her fondest memories of KS include being with great friends and educators who like to have fun!  She remembers school being closed only twice.  Once for snow and once due to a hurricane!  Technology was also very different when Mrs. Drinnon worked at KS.  She did not have a computer.  Instead, she used a typewriter!   
     She told the children she would have loved to bring her dog to school with her everyday!  Her advice to the students of KS is to “learn as much as you can, prepare for the future, and make a list of things you like, so you can do what you love.” 
    Today, she still lives in the same house she has lived in for 24 years.  It is just a couple miles from KS!  She worked for Mayor Bacon for 3 years and currently works for the owner of Northwest Exterminating.  Mrs. Drinnon says it is very different from KS, because she mostly works with all men! 
    Visiting our 2nd Grade class was perfect because she would have been in 2nd Grade when King Springs first opened fifty years ago!   		  


Susan Drinnon, current photo

                                          Edna Dupree
                                               by Jaco
    Hello friends!  My 5th grade class had an interview with a former King Springs bookkeeper.  Her name is Mrs. Edna Dupree.  The interview was exciting!  Here is how it went.
    It started when we were doing math.  The intercom beeped us, and said, "Mrs. Calvin-Tomas, Mrs. Dupree is here."  When she arrived we got out our grammar folders and started the interview!  We asked some questions like... "Where are you now?:  What historical events took place during your time at King Springs?"  "What advice would would you give to us today?" 
    Mrs. Dupree's answers were something to hear.  She told us that we should study hard, grow, and take advantage of our opportunities.  That will stay in my mind forever.  Other questions were asked too.  There were many answers, but that particular one stays in my mind.
    The interview with Mrs. Dupree was awesome!  I want to do another interview.  Interviews are fun!		  

 


Edna Dupree, current photo

                                        Lillian McCall
                                           by Mr. Scanlon's 5th grade class
Class: What was your favorite book in school?Mrs. McCall: I used to love the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series.  Mysteries are my favorite and I am always interested in books that keep me in suspense!

Class: What were your favorite specials when teaching?
Mrs. McCall: Things were different when I was teaching.  The homeroom teachers had to teach the specials themselves.  Instead of having planning time, for example, Mr. Scanlon would have to teach you music.  Imagine that!

Class: Was this classroom here when you taught at King Springs?
Mrs. McCall: Actually, no.  I remember that this wing of the building stopped at the gym.  The gym was the end!  Also, fifth grade was in the wing by the media center and the classrooms were all open to each other!  There were no walls separating the classrooms; it was quite different!

Class: Did they have morning announcements when you taught here?
Mrs. McCall:  Yes, they did, but they were quite different.  We did NOT have KSTV on the televisions.  Instead, the principal would make a few announcements over the loudspeakers.  I am blown away each time I see how far the technology has come in this school!

Class: Did teachers give whoopins?
Mrs. McCall:  I am not sure.  I never did, but I have a very mean look that will scare a student more than a whoopin….:-)

Class: What do you do now?
Mrs. McCall: I am now retired, although there still never seems to be enough time in each day to do all the things I want to!  I love playing golf, walking, swimming, reading a good book, crocheting, and I am both active in church as well as a member of the “Keep Smyrna Beautiful” committee.  I stay quite busy, as you can see.

Class: What are your favorite memories of teaching at King Springs?
Mrs. McCall: I used to love our 5th grade trip!  We would go to Rock Eagle for several days.  We would take hikes and sit around camp fires.  I vividly remember walking through the woods and seeing a frozen waterfall once!  It was beautiful.  Also, during these trips, teachers truly got to know their students on a personal level, and the experience was fantastic.

Class: Who was the principal when you taught at King Springs?
Mrs. McCall:  His name was Jerry Gillespie.  He was a terrific man in many ways.

  


Lillian McCall


                                     Marge Ransom
                          by Mr. Meek's 5th grade class

Q.  What is your relationship to King Springs?
A.   I am a former teacher.  Presently, I tutored a student in the 5th grade at King Springs.

Q. What historical events took place during your time at King Springs?A.  When I was at King Springs, President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore were in office.  I remember when Vice-President Al Gore came to King Springs for a visit and we had a fire drill the day he came to the school.  The FBI had to check the building before he could proceed with his visit.  We had to stand outside in the cold for about an hour.

Q. Who had the greatest impact on you during your time at King Springs?
A. I can’t name a specific person who had the greatest impact on me during my time at King Springs, but I can only say that everybody I worked with made it enjoyable to teach at King Springs.

Q. What is your fondest memory of King Springs?
A. My fondest memory was when I was nominated twice for teacher of the month during the school year.

Q. Reflecting on King Springs, what do you miss the most?
A. I miss working with the students and my fellow teachers.

Q. What has changed the most since you were at King Springs?
A. There is now a computer in every classroom.  During my time at King Springs, I was lucky to get a donated used computer.

Q. What is one thing you would have liked to have changed about King Springs when you were here?
A. I would have liked school to have started later than the time it was scheduled.

Q. Where do you live now?   What do you do?
A.  I live one mile from the school in Smryna.  I have retired from teaching full-time.  I sometimes travel with my husband when he goes out of town for work.  I am a member of many organizations and I do a lot of volunteer work.

Q. What advice would you give to King Springs’ students of today?
A. I would like to tell every student to study, do all of your homework, and have good manners.

Q. What do you now that you wish you had known during your elementary years at King Springs?
A. I wish I had known about some great educational programs.  I wish I had the media center you all have today.

Q. What is your proudest accomplishment?
A. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to teach.  I am proud of my daughters who are making a tremendous contribution to society.  I am also proud of my “family” years at King Springs.

 

  

Marge Ransom, 2008


                                     Sondra Blissett

 What did you do at King Springs? 
I was a teacher in kindergarten from 1981 to 2004.

Historical Event: 
On Sept. 24, 1991  Dr. Seuss passed away and it meant no more books from him.

Greatest Impact: 
Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Turner and 5 people who are still here:  Cindy Patterson…I taught her son Justin and she has been a family friend for years.  Ms. Force…she has taught me about understanding and patience.  Ms. Brown…she always has shown me a love for children.  Ms. Sformo and Ms. Debe…they are like family to me.

Favorite Memory: 
When I was nominated for a Brick in Gillespie Gardens.

Miss the Most:
I miss the children the most.

Changed the Most:
There are fewer children in classrooms.  When I taught IN THIS CLASSROOM, we had as many as 28 children in here.  (and the tables had legs on them.  Now the tables in here are shorter)

Would have liked to change: 
I wish we had better playgrounds back then.

Where do you live now and what do you do? 
In Heritage Mill in Smyrna.  Right now I get to do whatever I want to do.  I cook for 120 people at my church on Wednesdays.  

Advice to children: 
#1 Use self control or you can’t learn a thing. 
#2 Learn when to talk and know when to listen.  You also need to focus and pay attention.

What do you know now that you wish you knew then?  
I wish I knew how to do model writing.  Mrs. Kent taught me how to do model writing and I wish I knew how to do it the whole time I taught.

Proudest Accomplishment: 
I started ASP in 1985 (the After School Program).  Before then, there was no ASP.  I worked as the director from 1985-2001.

 

  


 


Sondra Blissett

                 Former King Springs students who are now
                          Campbell High School seniors!

  

 

 

 

 

Top Row, Left to Right: Matt, Zach, Schafer, John, Sammi, Derrick

Middle Row: Mikaela, Jasmine, Jenna, Stacey, Tanaira

Down in Front: Kale'

 

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