About Mr. Townes

My name is Michael Townes. I am a twelfth-year teacher, and this is my second year as a Woodmont Wildcat! Prior to Woodmont, I taught in Greenville County School District's Alternative Education program for a decade. I have also taught 6th and 7th grade English at Langston Charter Middle School. I am a career-changer who came to education in my early 30s, and I now cannot imagine doing anything else with my life. I possess not only a Master's in Teaching from Clemson, but also an MBA and a BA in Journalism from the University of South Carolina (GO GAMECOCKS!). If I seem frazzled this year, it's because I am also a student myself, attending Furman University pursuing a graduate degree in School Leadership. 

Before going back to school to get my teaching degree, I worked primarily in project management, marketing/advertising, and in sales/customer service. It's that experience that makes me want to strive to teach "real world" communication skills. Likewise, it's my firm belief that better overall literacy (novels, informational text, film, digital, etc.) leads to more effective communication. I will endeavor to relate most of my teaching to real-life concrete examples that students can apply in their own lives.

On a personal note, I am the father to two kids myself, a college freshman (at USC! *sheds manly tear*) and a high school freshman, ages 18 and 14. I also have a young goldendoodle named Nanaimo and two cats named Dorito and Praline who LOATHE my young goldendoodle named Nanaimo. In my free time, I'll often be found either at the gym, studying, decompressing in front of what must be every streaming service known to mankind (current shows: Justified, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, all the Marvel and Star Wars Disney Stuff) or my PS5 (current games: Final Fantasy XVI and Diablo IV), or trying to figure out good times to travel up north to visit family in Canada, where my wife is from. Because I live a life of EXCITEMENT, let me tell you.

I may or may not* be able to be bribed with gifts of Diet Coke.

*Spoiler: I can't. But the thought is always appreciated.