I was a member of the band, chorus and vocal ensemble at Tech during the late 80s. Mr. Simiele was the head of the music department. After budget cuts in 1987, he WAS the music department. Along with reading and performing music, he taught us the value of hard work and being respectful to him, our other teachers, our classmates and ourselves. I felt safe and cared about in his classroom. The lessons he taught about hard work encouraged me to keep pursuing excellence. The lessons he taught about caring for others have propelled me to a career in public service. Mr. Simiele is retired from teaching now, but he will never be forgotten by his students. We even started a Facebook group honoring him, called "Band Geeks for Robert Simiele."
From: Karen