Former Forsyth County Educator, Teacher and Coach has passed away…..
Pretty sure Stan Elrod was a basketball coach at North Forsyth High School back in the day…He may have followed Olen Shuler at North Forsyth back in the day…I just saw an SUV with an “Elrod for Forsyth County School Board”, on it, back on Monday, in a parking lot on Battleground Avenue…Over the years, never heard nothing but good things, about Stan Elrod…
Spare the Elrod, and spoil the ‘educational process’, because Stan Elrod made the overall/entire educational process better, day-in, and day-out, in the Winston-Salem-Forsyth County School System…The Winston-Salem Journal says/reports Stan Elrod coached boys basketball at Winston-Salem Reynolds HS…Maybe it was Howard West who followed Stan at WS Reynolds…Stan Elrod, highly respected throughout Forsyth County, and he was originally from York, South Carolina…Graduated from Newberry College….
— Reynolds Athletics (@RJRAthletics) October 26, 2022
from www.wxiitv12.com:
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —The community is mourning a man who made a mark on Forsyth County education.
Beloved Forsyth County School Board candidate and long-time educator Stan Elrod unexpectedly passed away Tuesday night.
He’s been part of Forsyth County Education for more than three decades.
Several people spent the day sharing memories of a man who made such a huge impact on education in the Piedmont Triad and beyond.
“I just can’t picture him not being in our district,” said Former Reynolds High School student, coach and teacher Derrick Speas. “Because that’s all I know is Mr. Elrod.”
Elrod was a man who made a mark on Forsyth County education. He was loved by many.
“I just can’t think of any human who has done more for public education, students and teachers in Forsyth County than Mr. Elrod,” said Reynolds High School student services director Nicole Beale.
Beale was hired by Elrod in 2003 to work at Reynolds High School. She followed him to Reagan High School until he retired in 2010, then went back to Reynolds — where she currently works.
Elrod served as the Reynolds High School Assistant Principal beginning in 1986, before taking over as principal in 1991. He made it his mission to know every student’s name.
“If he met you, he knew that name for all time to come,” said former Reynolds High School teacher Terry Hicks. “That was a particular gift he had for remembering faces and putting names with them.”
“He would go out in the halls, he was at every event,” said Beale. “I mean, his family — I would like to say how grateful we are to them for sharing him with us because he never missed their stuff, but god knows he had to come to a lot of ours.”
Elrod left Reynolds High School in 2005 and became the principal at Reagan High School. He remained there until retiring in 2010.
“I’ve been watching responses to Facebook this morning, people saying things like, ‘I saw him at a restaurant recently and I graduated 21 years ago and he remembered me and recalled something that happened during that time,'” said Hicks.
“I was really grateful he decided to spend retirement continuing to do what he could for children and educators,” said Beale. “So I’m hopeful people will look to his legacy when they’re making decisions in the future.”
Beyond his work as an educator, he was also, more importantly, a real mentor. He was truly caring and personable.
“Over the last 11 years since he’s retired, he’s who I call if I need someone to remind me why I do this and why it’s important,” Beale said. “I can’t imagine not being able to call him and ask him.”
“He was passionate about the school because he was passionate about the community,” added Hicks. “And he believed every person had chance and opportunity and that they needed encouragement.”
Elrod’s legacy will certainly leave an impact on Forsyth County education.
“Mr. Elrod was special not just to me, but to all classes,” said Speas. “And we will feel this loss for years to come.”
Speas was a student during Elrod’s first year as principal at Reynolds High School. He later was hired by Elrod to coach and teach.
“There’s no me without Stan Elrod,” said Speas.
“I’m just heartbroken we don’t have his leadership,” added Hicks. “But we have his example, and we should all do some living off of that example because he did it so powerfully for us.”
Elrod was one of several candidates running for a seat on the Winston-Salem, Forsyth County School Board.
The Forsyth County GOP says if he wins, the party will select someone to serve in his place.