Grant Union Junior-Senior High School math teacher Matt Jones is retiring after 32 years with Grant School District 3.

‘I want to thank all my students for the joy they brought into my life’

By Angel Carpenter

Blue Mountain Eagle

Grant Union Junior-Senior High School math teacher Matt Jones is leaving the school halls this year, retiring after 32 years with Grant School District 3.

Jones, who taught math courses, physics and computer programming, was many times voted Teacher of the Year by the students. He taught grades 7-12 over the years.

He also worked for the Ontario School District one year prior, and he was a student-teacher through Eastern Oregon University.

Jones’ greatest joy in teaching was “seeing students grow and learn, not just in mathematics but as a person,” he said. “You have to build a relationship with the student, and they have to know that you care before they’ll want to learn from you.”

He’s held dear the words from two mentors, including his former EOU math professor Dwight Lippe, who said, “You are the epitome of mathematics in your students’ eyes.”

Former Grant Union teacher Roger Ediger, with whom Jones student-taught, was known to say, “Your students don’t care what you know until they know that you care.”

Jones, on occasions throughout the school years, invited students to his family’s home to study.

“I want to thank my wonderful wife KoRina for all the compromises and the hundreds of tubs of caramel corn for our late-night calculus sessions,” he said.

His plan for the future is to spend more time with his family traveling, hiking, hunting, fishing and farming at his Mt. Vernon ranch.

In his farewell speech at the Grant Union graduation ceremony, Jones said the Latin phrase “carpe diem” and modern-day “YOLO” (you only live once) are obvious on good days, adding, “I guarantee there will be days when you just wish you could push a reset button.”

He said, regardless of how hard, painful or fun life is, “to seize the moment means to bring all the love, joy, energy and passion we have into the present.”

Jones said to the students, “Don’t narrow your opportunities by choosing the easy just because it is easy.”

Students, mostly juniors and seniors who have chosen advanced biology, chemistry or physics classes, were allowed to travel on a yearly science trip, headed up by Jones and science teacher Sonna Smith. Jones said the trips, which have been happening for 30 years, were a reward for students who take a harder science, and it motivates other students to try advanced classes.

He had one piece of advice for administrators and trustees.

“If you want to increase learning, increase the time students spend with a competent, caring teacher,” he said. “Keep sacred the time with the teacher, minimize the distractions.”

Jones said he was grateful for the administrators, Principal Carl Lino and Superintendent Dean Nodine, who hired him 32 years ago, and the current administration for their support.

“I want to thank all my students for the joy they brought into my life,” he said.