Mostly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..

Mostly clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.

IRON STATION – East Lincoln Middle School has more than brand new middle school students in attendance this year. They also have 19 new teachers and support members. These new positions, according to Principal Heather Myers, is due to community growth and retirements. Nine of the teacher positions are considered beginning teachers (which North Carolina defines as teachers in years one, two, and three). Of those new teachers, five of them are first year teachers and four of them are products of Lincoln County Schools.

While these new teachers just stepped in front of students for the first time as full-time teachers, they’re not without support. They’ve been partnered with veteran teachers to serve as mentors to help them adjust to the teaching profession, attend a monthly beginning teacher support group at the school to build camaraderie and professional capacity, attend quarterly beginning teacher support groups at the district level to connect with and learn with new teachers across the district.

“This is the first time in my nine years as an East Lincoln Middle School administrator that we’ve had so many beginning teachers at one time,” Myers said. “Their fresh ideas and enthusiasm for the profession is a boost to our school community. I’m also pleased with how our veteran staff has embraced all the new staff members to help make ELMS successful as a whole.”

Katie Wilson is teaching sixth grade science. Her fiancé is a Lincoln County native so she moved to Denver to be closer to him about four years ago, before starting college at UNCC. 

“When it came time to start student teaching, I chose Lincoln County and was blessed to be placed at Catawba Springs Elementary School,” she said. “I immediately fell in love with this area and knew I wanted to teach here.”

Wilson said that she went into the teaching profession because she loved the impact she can have on students, especially at the middle school level. 

“When I was in middle school it seemed like I never really had a teacher in my corner,” she said. “I decided I wanted to be that person for my students. In the years to come, I know there will be challenges, fun and sad times, but I can’t imagine devoting my life to something else.”

Teaching sixth grade social studies is Destiny Johnson who is a Lincoln County native. She attended St. James Elementary School, East Lincoln Middle School, and East Lincoln High School.

“I wanted to be a teacher because I had amazing teachers that demonstrated the power teaching has on students,” she said. “I learned that teachers are at the forefront of shaping children. The power of an effective educator will never be erased. My desire is to give students the tools necessary to be successful, not just social studies content but life skills needed to prosper in the 21st century.”

Another Lincoln County native, Bailey Beam is teaching sixth and seventh grade chorus. She’s a graduate of Lincolnton High School and stayed in the area after graduating from Lenoir-Rhyne University.

“I wanted to be a teacher, specifically a chorus teacher, so I can share my love of music, and cultivate that within young people in our community,” she said. “Music is so important when it comes to self-expression. I want children to feel like they can use it as a safe haven and a creative outlet, just as I did throughout my years in school.”

Andrew Avery is teaching eighth grade social studies. He’s lived in Lincoln County his entire life attending Lincolnton Middle and graduating from Lincolnton High School. He has a history degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“I had some great teachers in middle school who really had a big impact on me,” he said. “Now I want to be that positive influence for someone else.”

Another first-year teacher, Caitlin Pauley is a computer and careers teacher and splits her time between East and North Lincoln Middle School. She’s a North Lincoln High School graduate.

Rounding out the new teachers is Victoria Blake who teaches eighth grade English language arts. 

“I was a 2017 graduate of West Lincoln High School, and when I graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2021 I knew that I wanted to give back to Lincoln County Schools,” she said. “I wanted to be a teacher because I had so many wonderful Lincoln County Schools teachers over the years who provided a comfortable learning environment for me where I was able to think critically, develop empathy, and develop the skills needed to be a lifelong learner. This made an incredible difference for me, and I wanted to provide this for students as well.”

A seventh and eighth grade math teacher, this is Sarah Mente’s third year teaching.

“My husband and his family grew up here, so after college we were drawn back to the area,” she said. “I heard great things from other teachers and administrators, so I was very eager to end up here, especially at East Lincoln Middle. I’ve always enjoyed working with all ages, teaching new ideas and concepts. I’ve been teaching in some capacity since tutoring in high school and I have loved every camp, class, and team.”

Morgan Murphy is in her second year of teaching and is teaching eighth grade science.

“Although I didn’t graduate from Lincoln County, I was drawn to work here because of the recommendations I have received about the excellence of the county,” she said. “I wanted to become a teacher to leave an impact on my students just as the teachers I had left an impact on me.”

Sixth grade math teacher, Shannan Mas came to teaching after a first career in finance. She wanted to become a teacher because while coaching softball, she loved being able to work and help kids grow. 

“While working in finance I was just clocking in and clocking out,” she said. “That's not what I wanted to do with the rest of my working career, so I decided to go into teaching. I wanted to teach math so I could work and help kids grow in a subject that they will use in their everyday life.”

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