Jon Sainsbury would never bore students to death! Photo courtesy of senior Vyolet Burrus.
San Luis Obispo High School welcomed many new staff members at the beginning of the year, one of whom is biology teacher and Environmental Club adviser Jon Sainsbury. Sainsbury is the son of English teacher Lynnly Sainsbury and is a former Tiger himself.
To find out more about this new addition, Expressions reached out to Sainsbury.
Expressions: What is your job at SLOHS?
Biology teacher Jon Sainsbury: I’m a science teacher, so I mostly teach biology. I’m also having a really good time helping students out in study skills this year, coaching with Mr. Wise.
Expressions: What did you do before SLOHS?
Sainsbury: I was at Los Osos Middle School, so I was teaching math and science over there. I also was teaching in Templeton prior to that, but I’m from SLO…I’ve been teaching for about ten years.
Expressions: Why did you decide to work at SLOHS?
Sainsbury: I was working in the desert, and I wanted to get closer to my family. I was just remembering what a great time I had at SLOHS [as a student]. It’s a great school with good teachers so I wanted to get back into teaching at my home school.
Expressions: How has it been working with Lynnly Sainsbury, your mom?
Sainsbury: Interacting with her has been really cool and unique. It’s hard because teachers don’t get to see each other a ton, but it’s been nice sending emails and checking in on students with her…Seeing how hard she works helps push me and motivate me too. It’s definitely been unique, [I’ve never] worked somewhere where my parents worked.
Expressions: What is your favorite part of working at SLOHS?
Sainsbury: I have enjoyed getting more into the details of science, whereas teaching in middle school sometimes you are just getting through the material. But in high school, you get to dive in, get the kids engaged more, and do some more higher level stuff like working with the microscopes and doing labs.
Expressions: What do you do in your free time?
Sainsbury: My family keeps me pretty busy. I have three kids so we always do fun stuff around, like going hiking. I love going to the beach and surfing. Lately, I’ve been really getting into trail running, just getting the miles in and getting out in nature.
Expressions: What are you looking forward to this year?
Sainsbury: I’m looking forward to getting some of my students back in another trimester to continue to see them grow and help them with science. I think that that’s a cool thing that high school does is have these trimesters where you’ll get some of them again, but not all of them.
Sainsbury is already making waves here, SLOHS is lucky to have him!
