Brian Bettis, originally from Shelby, North Carolina, graduated in 2005 with a B.S. in elementary education. He completed his M.A. in elementary education in 2008 and his Ed.S. in educational leadership in 2016.
He also earned a Graduate Certificate in School Leadership from Appalachian in 2015, and he received his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in 2010. He holds North Carolina licensure in:
- Standard Profession II - Elementary Education (K-6)
- Standard Profession II - School Administrator – Principal
- Standard Profession II - School Administrator – Superintendent
Brian now serves as the principal of Bethel Elementary School in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, the same school where he completed his undergraduate internship and discovered his passion for teaching.
"I originally chose Appalachian because of its strong reputation for preparing teachers. The College of Education prepared me to be a classroom teacher; because of this, the quality instruction, and relationships with professors, I chose to pursue a Masters' degree in elementary education, a graduate certificate in school leadership and an EdS in Educational Leadership."
Finding His Calling
Brian did not always want to be a teacher – he originally dreamed of being an emergency room physician – until a teacher changed his mind. It was a high school history teacher who inspired Brian to consider a career in education.
Brian attended Appalachian as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. It was here that he learned the importance of educating the whole child to meet academic and social needs. A responsibility he took seriously after graduating and realizing his dream of becoming a teacher.
Brian's first teaching job was at Boiling Springs Elementary School (BSES) in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina. Here he taught third grade for one year, followed by Kindergarten for four years. During this time, he was named BSES's Teacher of the Year in 2008 and was selected as a finalist for Cleveland County Schools' Teacher of the Year, the county in which BSES is located.
In 2010, Brian accepted a new position, Curriculum Technology Coordinator, with Springmore Elementary School in Shelby, North Carolina. He also served as the school's Assistant Principal from 2015-17.
In August of 2017, Brian returned to the high country and to Bethel as the school's principal.
Impacting Education in His Community
Brian Bettis and Yosef at Bethel Elementary School. Photo submitted
Brian is making an impact on education in his community. He sees it as his responsibility to support his Bethel family, including students, teachers, staff members, parents and more. He is passionate about student success as well as sustaining education in his community and inspiring the next generation of educators.
Brian shared, “At Bethel School, I am excited about our staff's collaborative work with teachers in our school and district. Our teachers have been involved in creating pacing guides, benchmark assessments and sharing resources with their colleagues to ensure that students receive the highest quality instruction. Our teachers are committed to working with members and organizations of our local community to make sure our school is best meeting the needs of our students and families.”
Because he has experience as both a teacher and an administrator, Brian is able to share best practices in his school and through professional development opportunities.
“I have grown passionate about ensuring that we use quality instructional practices in our classrooms,” he said.
“I have grown passionate about ensuring that we use quality instructional practices in our classrooms.”
He is also excited about the great things that are happening in the Watauga County Schools (WCS) district. WCS is dedicated to meeting the needs of all students. This is being accomplished through a focus on providing support for all students through multi-tiered systems of support. WCS is working to be more intentional in the ways that teachers, administrators and support staff address students’ academic, behavior and social needs.
In addition, Brian regularly returns to his Appalachian roots, offering professional development workshops to current RCOE students. He also advises RCOE’s Elementary Education program as a current committee member, and he serves on the Wilson Scholars Program selection committee. He is also a proud supporter of both the AppFund and the Yosef Club.
Contributed by Rebekah Saylors
Brian Bettis outside the Reich College of Education
