Staff Spotlight - Sheila Grimm

A photograph can capture a moment that lasts a lifetime. For Sheila Grimm, those moments are not just something she captures through a camera lens. They are the moments she creates with her students every day.

A retired teacher who now works part-time at Fairborn Digital Academy, Sheila might describe herself as someone who simply comes in a few days a week and does her job. But her work is rooted in something deeper. It is about building trust, creating space, and helping students move forward in ways that stay with them long after they leave.

Sheila came to FDA after a full career in career technical education, where she was used to leading a classroom and guiding students through lessons together. The shift to an accountability coach was not easy.

“It was completely different,” she said. “I had to figure out how to work with each student in a way that works for them.”

At FDA, every student requires something different. Some need encouragement. Some need patience. Some need a push. Others need space. Sheila learned quickly that success comes from understanding each student individually and adjusting her approach to meet them where they are.

“I sometimes feel like I’m an auntie that nags them,” she said. “I’m paid to nag people, but I have to figure out how to do it in a way that works for them.”

That balance takes time and a steady hand. Sheila does not push students to share more than they are ready to. Instead, she asks open-ended questions, listens carefully, and allows trust to build slowly.

“They know that you care,” she said. “And that whatever they need, you’ll try to take care of it for them.”

The moments that stay with Sheila are often quiet. Sitting down one-on-one with a student. Working through a problem together. Sharing a laugh.

“Anytime we can have good interaction with kids and we can laugh and we can learn, it’s a good day,” she said.

Outside of school, Sheila is also a photographer, and that perspective shapes the way she sees her students.

Each year, she offers graduating students a senior photo session as a gift. For some, it is an experience they might not otherwise have. It is her way of recognizing how far they have come and giving them something lasting to take with them.

And like her work in the classroom, she does not try to force the moment. She creates the conditions for it. She lets students be themselves, steps in when needed, and waits for the right moment to come into focus.

At Fairborn Digital Academy, Sheila helps students see themselves a little differently. As someone still moving forward. As a student on the right path. As a success.

Just like a photograph, those moments are the moments that matter. Those are the moments that stay with them.