April Staff Member of the Month: Robert Peake

Robert Peake, who was awarded FCHS Staff Member of the Month for April, spends his days like any other teacher, working with his students and setting them up for success. The challenging part? His students all have different handicaps, as he works in the Special Education Department.

Peake didn’t originally plan to become a special education teacher. Originally, he got his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. “I wanted to do something with just my psychology degree, but it wouldn’t get me the money I was aiming for,” said Peake. He then went to Lynchburg University and got his Master’s in Special Education.

Soon, Peake became enthralled with the field of Special Education, so he went on to get his Specialist degree in Instructional Technology solely for making the lives of his student more enjoyable and convenient. He’s been teaching Special Ed for 36 years and has been with Fluvanna for 14 of them.

Peake has a wife and three kids. He and his wife, Jackie, will have been together for 40 years in August. All of his children graduated from FCHS. Ryan graduated in 2003, Rachel in 2007, and Robbie in 2011. Ryan is a captain in the Air Force and is stationed in Germany, where he and his wife recently welcomed Peake’s first grandchild. Rachel has a degree in education, and is between two jobs in Lynchburg. Robbie has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and works nearby at CNC Machine Shop.