Sherry Brock:
CLASS OF 1971
Dixie Hollins High SchoolClass of 1971
St. petersburg, FL
Dixie Hollins High SchoolClass of 2002
St. petersburg, FL
Boca Ciega High SchoolClass of 1990
Gulfport, FL
Lakewood High SchoolClass of 1986
St. petersburg, FL
Dixie Hollins High SchoolClass of 1979
St. petersburg, FL
Sherry's Story
Life
My family moved to Florida when I was halfway through 3rd grade (from Springfield, MO). I went to Tyrone Elem. for grades 3, 4, and 5 and Northwest Elem. for grade 6 (it was air-conditioned; Tyrone was not), Tyrone Junior High, and, of course, Dixie Hollins. I loved school - everything about it. I still love school. I'd go forever if I could get someone to pay my bills!
After high school I went to SPJC and then to USF. Got my Bachelor's Degree in 1974 and my Master's Degree in 1978. I taught elementary school for my first year of teaching (Bauder Elem.) and moved up to high school. Began at Dixie the first time in 1975! Taught for sixteen school years and decided I'd like to go to law school. Graduated from Stetson College of Law in 1992 and have practiced family law ever since. Three years ago I returned to teaching - at Dixie. I now practice law part-time; I enjoy practicing law, but teaching is my first love!
I raised two foster children. Pete Dennis is now 34 and became quadriplegic 3 years ago after a bad accident (fall) at work. Anthony Dennis is approaching 14. They keep me hopping!
I lost my Dad last December, but my Mom still lives in the same house where I grew up, and I live just one mile away. My brother Karl ('73 Dixie grad)and his family live just a few blocks from there.
I have made every effort to keep in contact with all of my good friends from high school, and we do get together occasionally. There have been some rough times, but all in all, life is good!!!
Sherry
Workplace
I graduated from SPJC and then USF in 1974. I worked at Sears (Tyrone Mall) during the first year of college, then didn't work until I finished - I overloaded my courses and got my Bachelor's Degree in 3 years. Between graduation and teaching, I was a waitress at Howard Johnson's for one seemingly-endless summer until I got my first teaching job at Bauder Elementary School in Seminole. Loved the kids, was not happy in that particular school. Spent the summer of 1975 getting my secondary math certification (24 hours in ONE summer - it about killed me, but I did it!) and Ron Hallam hired me to teach at Dixie. It was Heaven!
I got my Masters' Degree in Administration and Supervision of Schools in 1978; a year later, I was offered an administrative position with the Scho...Expand for more
ol Board's CETA Program which trained disadvantaged people for the job market. It doubled my salary - I hated leaving Dixie, but I was young and looking for opportunities, and that it was! I worked with CETA until the federal funds expired and the program stopped (1981). I returned to the classroom mid-year and taught at what was then PVTI (it's now P-Tech Largo) for a year and a half. That was a GREAT job, but I was teaching out of area, so I couldn't stay. I transferred to Lakewood High School's Math Dept. and taught there with some amazing people from 1982 until 1986.
In 1986 while teaching summer school at Bogie, Principal John Demps approached me and asked me to come to Bogie; he wanted me to teach the honors math classes and take over as chairperson of the Math Dept. when the then-current one retired. It was a great opportunity for me - I really wanted to teach the honors math (trigonometry in particular) and Bogie was SO much closer to home for me, so I transferred and taught there (and became the Dept. Chair, too) until 1990.
In 1989/90, I decided that I really wanted to go to law school. It was something that I thought about for years, and it was truly a personal challenge for me. (I'd heard one too many times some ignoramus say that "Those who can't do, teach!") I also really missed that part of my life. I LIKE math, but I don't LOVE math. I love reading and writing and doing research, and I am always game for a good debate. So I applied and was accepted at Stetson. I took a leave of absence from teaching in the fall of 1990, borrowed a ton of money (student loans that I will probably still be paying off when I am on Social Security). Graduated from Stetson in 1992 and went to work (self-employed) as a family law attorney. I practiced family law in St. Petersburg full time until 1999; my older son was in a tragic accident that rendered him quadriplegic, my younger son was also having some pretty serious problems, so I decided to return to teaching - it is a much more family-friendly career. (I still practice law, but I don't do trial work anymore.) I went straight to Dixie Hollins - never even talked with anyone else. I've been there ever since and it was the best decision I could have made. I love my job. I love my students. I love my life!
Sherry Brock
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