Once school starts, students get into a routine of going to class, doing homework, going to sports, and other activities the school offers. Having a set 8:30 to 3:25 academic schedule, students can engage with their teachers, understand the content well in class, and talk to their friends. Most students are used to their routine once September starts and wake up early in the morning and come back home hours later tired. Although students have busy lives, teachers have a lot to do in their day as well, especially  Mr. Gyves. The new Head of Upper School  has a busy life, from before school starts until  the end of the day. I had the great opportunity to interview him and learn more about his life from a student’s perspective.

Coming from Augusta, Georgia, Mr. Gyves adapts to the lifestyle in the Woodlands, Texas. As both  have a strong sense of community and family-friendly atmosphere, the Woodlands was an easy place to move to and get settled in. Mr. Gyves and his family were delighted with the suburban life and were already used to the heat, as Texas is only a couple of degrees hotter than Georgia. The prominent difference between Augusta and the Woodlands is the choice in barbecue, as Mr. Gyves exclaims, “I am happily getting used to the brisket.” Moving to a different place often  has a sort of downhearted feeling, knowing that you are leaving people behind, but Mr. Gyves is happy to recognize that new adventures are ahead of him, and is excited to meet a lot of wonderful new people.

If you thought you woke up early, think again. Every day Mr. Gyves wakes up at 2:30 in the morning, ready for a productive day. From 2:00 to 4:00, Mr. Gyves spends his time reading about schools and education, and takes care of emails with a cup of coffee in his hand. Once it is 4:00, Mr. Gyves exercises, which includes walking, running, or going to the gym. After Mr. Gyves returns home, he finds himself doing chores such as cleaning the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher, and helping his family members through their morning. Coffee is a big part of Mr. Gyves’s life. Usually, by this time of the day, Mr. Gyves has already taken in a few cups of coffee, keeping him awake.  

Mr. Gyves’ school day begins when most students wake up to get ready for school, around 6:30. Once he arrives at school, Mr. Gyves gets settled and checks in with Ms. Crane and Ms. Glenn. By 7:30, Mr. Gyves walks around campus and is present where students and faculty members come together to get ready for the day. From 8:30 to lunchtime, while students attend their first two classes, Mr. Gyves engages with the community and visits ongoing classes. During this time, Mr. Gyves’ schedule is solely for visiting different classrooms and seeing students in action, observing the good communication between them and their teachers. Mr. Gyves aims to go to three classes per day; doing so helps him learn how the students are going and puts the fall semester off to a good start. 

When lunch hits, students head over to the Student Center to grab food, go to clubs, or eat and talk with their friends. Mr. Gyves enjoys sitting at tables with other students and having conversations with them or joining in their activities. In the afternoon, students go to their last two classes, concluding the school day at 3:25 to head home or go to an after-school activity. During the same time, meetings fill up Mr. Gyves’s schedule. His meetings involve talking to parents or faculty members, which usually end around 3:30. After, Mr. Gyves spends his time looking through emails or making an appearance at students’ after school activities. Mr. Gyves typically heads home by at least 6:00.

Once at home, Mr. Gyves is not very tired, since he is used to this routine and enjoys what he does: his source of energy. Mr. Gyves leaves his phone in the car, to have no distractions and free his mind from work. He spends his time with his family dedicates himself to his wife and three kids, being supportive and assisting them with their needs. Schedules vary for every student but being at home is usually the time to rest, eat, or do homework. As Mr. Gyves says, “If I’m still awake and it is beyond 9:30, something is wrong.” At this point , Mr. Gyves’ long day is over, and by 2:30 in the morning his alarm goes off again and he is ready for an exciting new day. 

Apart from school, students have interests and hobbies they take part in. Mr. Gyves holds interests and beliefs which keep him going and represent who he is. Mr. Gyves says he has three big jobs: “Number one, I am a dad, number two, I am a husband, and number three, I am a school guy.” Mr. Gyves contributes to these roles in various ways, and at school, his role as a principal role is shown. Over the weekends, when the “school guy” role is not present, Mr. Gyves continues to wake up early to read and spend time with his family. Mr. Gyves has participated in triathlons since he was in graduate school, and enjoys them because it gives him something to look forward to in an active manner. Not only a tri-sport contender, Gyves is also a gifted tri-instrument player. Alongside his two brothers, Mr. Gyves learned how to play the violin and guitar, and played cello in his high school orchestra. Mr. Gyves often listens to calming lo-fi hip hop music during work, and in the car or at the gym, he takes pleasure in music that involves the acoustic guitar. 

If it were possible, the message Mr. Gyves would send to his high school self is “It always works out. Always.” From his experiences, Mr. Gyves would like students to know that things might not be as expected or previously wanted, but they always work out.

Mr. Gyves spreads positivity to the student body thanks to his multiple cups of coffee throughout the day. The most rewarding part of his day is seeing students excel and creating a sense of community. With his incredible skills of conversing with others, Mr. Gyves builds a smooth system with his colleagues and brings ecstatic energy to help the Upper School succeed. Mr. Gyves strives to keep what he does around campus  from the perspective of a student, and acknowledges that having a productive day is not only fulfilling, but also beneficial to other people. The first year of his career at the John Cooper School kicked off brilliantly and has made an exceptional impact on the community.