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Faculty & Staff Directory

Featured Faculty: Stuart Jump, Upper School humanities

"I want students to think and question for themselves, much along the line of Socrates.  As a history teacher, I don’t believe history is about numbers, it is about using information from the past to help us understand our world today and make better decisions moving forward."
 
Mr. Stuart Jump brings more than 35 years of experience in education to the humanities department at the Upper School. He also works as a dorm parent and was a long-time varsity baseball coach.

Mr. Jump holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. 

Mr. Jump has taught in Virginia, Maine, and Georgia, and has led Project Harmony exchange programs, taking students to live for three weeks in Russia. He also played baseball at Cleveland State on the team that lost in the junior college National Championship game in 1980 and then at the University of North Carolina on a team that won two ACC Championships (1982 and 1983). 

Originally from Chattanooga, TN, Mr. Jump lives on campus with his wife, Upper School math teacher Ms. Alice Jump. The couple has two adult children - Natalie ‘19 and Graham ‘19. Mr. Jump enjoys being outdoors, especially when camping, hiking and canoeing, and enjoys all sports. He likes that he works with students from around the country and around the world.
 
Where are you from? 
I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and lived several places as a child, but I would call Chattanooga home
 
Tell us about your family. What is it like raising your children here?
My wife Alice teaches math at Rabun Gap and my twins Natalie and Graham graduated last year.  Rabun Gap was a good place to raise children because it is such a safe environment. To me, the best part about having Graham and Natalie raised on campus, however, was their exposure to the diversity that our campus offers.
 
What made you choose to work at Rabun Gap? What year did you come?  
John Marshall, the head of school before Anthony, called me to recruit me to come to Rabun Gap.  He and I were teammates on the baseball team at UNC. We visited and liked the school. This is my fourteenth year at Rabun Gap.
 
What did you do before coming to Rabun Gap?  
I taught public school in Maine for 20 years.
 
What makes Rabun Gap special to you?
The way the students treat each other and get along.
 
What do you like most about working with Upper School students?
There are good days and bad days just like any profession, but probably the best thing is that it is never the same for two days in a row.  Dealing with teenagers can be frustrating, but it is always unique and interesting.
 
Why did you decide to get into education? 
I wasn’t offered a professional baseball contract and I had become disillusioned with the law profession and decided not to go to law school.  Teaching was a way to use my love of history.
 
What is your educational philosophy? 
I’m not sure if this is a “philosophy” or not, but I want students to think and question for themselves (much along the line of Socrates).  As a history teacher, I don’t believe history is about numbers, it is about using information from the past to help us understand our world today and make better decisions moving forward.
 
What were you like in upper school?
In high school, I was a good student, but sports were my passion.  I played baseball and basketball and only stopped playing football because it interfered with baseball and basketball too much.
 
What is your favorite memory from the time you have worked here so far?
Probably going to the Final Four with the baseball team in 2014.
 
What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone? 
I taught hang gliding on the Outer Banks of North Carolina at the largest hang gliding school in the world.  I was offered the job of manager at the school and came very close to accepting it. However, in the end, I decided to go back to teaching high school.
 
 
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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.