"It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process."
-Henry James
First, let me introduce myself. My name is Jason Nettle, and I’m the new drama teacher at Ponte Vedra High School. I’m only three weeks into the year and have already found a goldmine of talent, wonderful personalities, and a support group that is very inspiring.
I graduated from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio with a BFA in Theater and a BA in Music Theory, Conducting and Composition. I spent 12 years in New York City as a professional actor and did theater, TV, Film, improv, playwriting, casting and sketch and stand up comedy. I spent a few years on the road in the National Tours of The Full Monty and Cabaret. I decided to leave NYC and get my Masters Degree in Theater at The University of Central Florida. Through a lot of random encounters, I ended up as an actor and Resident Stage Manager at The Alhambra Theater and Dining and teaching Acting at Jacksonville University. I decided to leave Alhambra because something was telling me to step away and pursue where my passion lied. It was shortly after that Joe Kemper called me and told me he was recommending me for this job, if I was interested. I never thought I’d end up teaching theater in a High School, but it only makes sense because my own four years in High School theater were some of the best of my life. The friends I made at that time have remained my best friends and we’ve taken turns being groomsmen in each other’s weddings and having our children grow up and play together. I understand High School theater and its role in the school, the students’ lives and the community in general. Not everyone leaves high school and wants to pursue a life of auditioning and rejection. It’s the very few of us kids who were born with the “crazy gene” that we decide to do that. It’s all of the others that will never forget this time they have in theater and will be better people for it in the future. I teach life, responsibility, collaboration, self-worth, empathy, support, confidence, risk taking, creativity, abstract thinking and time management through the medium of theater. I teach the skills of working harder than what is the least amount expected and making each and every project stand out which will follow the kids farther into the future than I will see. My family, which is my wife Katie and our almost year old daughter, Cecily, would love to meet each and every one of you and hope you will lend a helping hand once, twice, or every time we need the support of the parents to get projects done. So far your kids have amazed me (but you know, we’re in the Honeymoon stage). I have a lot of ideas but am spending a lot of this time figuring out how the school works, time constraints, and remembering how the High School brain works. And since this is the most formal thing I’ve ever written in my life and I’ve deleted about a dozen jokes that I was pretty proud of but didn’t want to come off as someone who doesn’t take this seriously, when we meet you might see that I’m just a goofball who inspires my wife to roll her eyes at me on a regular basis and I take it very seriously and I try to teach your kids through as much humor as possible and make the atmosphere as much fun as it can be without letting it get out of control. Thanks for your time, Jason Nettle Director, Ponte Vedra High School Theater |
"I teach life, responsibility, collaboration, self-worth, empathy, support, confidence, risk taking, creativity, abstract thinking and time management through the medium of theater."
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"The future of our nation depends on our ability to create and to be creative. If our nation is to continue to meet the challenges of the future, today's schools need to develop creative leaders." |