Instructional Coaches
Bedford County Schools utilizes instructional coaches across the district to partner with classroom teachers in deepening their understanding of effective learning strategies. This commitment to continuous learning and growth helps us learn as a community of educators and helps us present lessons in ways that enhance student learning.
Click below to meet the instructional coach for your child’s school.
Meet Kristie Caldwell - District Instructional Coach
Meet Lee Ann Butts - District ELA Instructional Coach
This is my third year as an instructional coach! I was a classroom teacher for 26 years and am in my 28th year with Bedford County Schools. I love learning!
2. Why did you want to become a coach?
I believe that everyone has greatness inside of them. “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” (MLK, Jr.) Being an instructional coach will allow me to serve, support and help teachers and students rise to their greatness and work towards Bedford County’s mission and vision. A good coach can make a difference, but a great coach can be a game changer. I want to be a game changing, instructional coach that serves as a voice for teachers and students in the learning process. Enthusiasm for learning is contagious and I want to be an advocate for education and the role it plays in molding our future.
My favorite part about being an instructional coach is collaborating with colleagues and learning from others. Creating partnerships with teachers is the best part. Supporting teachers on their pathways to our district’s goals is an important part of being a coach, while remaining student focused. Being able to celebrate teachers and students in the learning process is such a rewarding experience. “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited by our own perspectives.” (Robert John Meehan) I am honored to be a part of the instructional team that supports and builds capacity in our teachers. I love learning and want to serve and support our champion teachers and students on the road to success. Being a voice and an educational advocate for students and teachers is an honor. “Education provides the fullest opportunities for fulfilling ourselves. It is the access to all that a person has yet to learn.” Education can change your life and I accept the challenge of supporting learning in our district.
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote?
Meet Sandy Powell - District Math Instructional Coach
I enjoy helping people realize their potential and working toward common goals with others. Coaching provides an opportunity to do both of those things.
I believe in the power of education and learning. Students need and deserve every opportunity we can provide to them through effective instruction. My favorite part about being an instructional coach is the opportunity to support teachers to deliver student learning through high-quality engaging lessons. I always enjoyed it when my students were successful with content because of the instruction I was providing. Coaching is a way for me to help others enjoy that same success on an even larger scale.
Meet Karisa Matusek - High School Instructional Coach
Meet Rebekah Spresser - Bedford County Learning Academy & Thomas Magnet School
Meet Patti Clinton - Cascade Elementary School
1. How many years have you been a coach? This is my second year to be a coach.
2. Why did you want to become a coach? I wanted to become an instructional coach because I love and respect teachers and understand their impact on students. I feel strongly that teachers need someone to come along beside them and support them with all aspects of their teaching responsibilities. This ultimately leads to student success.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a coach? What drives your passion for coaching? My favorite part of being an instructional coach is building relationships with the teachers. I love celebrating their successes and watching them grow as educators and leaders within their communities. I am very passionate about the students of Bedford County. I have spent my entire career here and want to help teachers invest in a place that has been so good to me.
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote? "Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." - Anthony J.D' Angelo
Meet Deborah Smith - Cascade Middle School
Meet Regan Aymett - Community Elementary School
3. What is your favorite thing about being a coach? What drives your passion for coaching?
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote?
Meet Kelly Beasley – Community Middle School
- How many years have you been a coach? This is my first year as an instructional coach.
- Why did you want to become a coach? My love for our community, teachers, and students lead me to this position. I have a servant’s heart and enjoy encouraging and supporting others. Teachers have an enormous, daily responsibility. I want to provide a safe space where teachers feel valued and supported to gain relevant skills to improve their instructional strategies. I want to provide a place where continuous collaboration leads to increased growth among students and teachers. A place where teachers are pushed to see the potential within themselves. “Learning sometimes occurs because someone insists that you recognize the excellence in yourself” – Rita Pierson. As a teacher, I have fond memories of other teachers pushing and insisting that I have valuable qualities within myself. This pushed me to accomplish things I would have never imagined possible. I want to be that person for our teachers. Teachers are a treasured resource and deserve support and encouragement as they work to provide high-quality instruction to ensure all their students receive the education they deserve.
- What is your favorite thing about being a coach? What drives your passion for coaching? My favorite thing about coaching is the collaborative time I have with teachers. A meeting of great minds to exchange strategies, concerns, and methods to reinforce one another. This is also a time when I observe and learn from outstanding teachers. What drives my passion is the encouragement that is provided with coaching. Knowing that as a teacher you have support and someone there to walk alongside you as you learn and implement new instructional strategies is comforting. The great Rita Pierson stated that “teaching and learning should bring joy.” Coaching brings me joy! I find myself teaching and learning daily. What a wonderful job this is to be able to celebrate together the great victories and accomplishments of our work that leads to student academic growth.
- What is your favorite inspirational education quote? “Never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing.” Jack Lewman
Meet Angela Tyre - Eakin Elementary School
2. Why did you want to become a coach? I want to be a servant to the teachers I help. Teaching is a tough job. I know what it feels like to have your emotional bowl empty at the end of the day. Teachers need as much help and encouragement as we give our students. I want to be someone who supports, encourages, and guides all teachers, not just our new teachers. Most importantly, I want to be someone who is worthy of this position.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a coach? What drives your passion for coaching? My favorite thing about being a coach is being able to encourage teachers to keep going, to keep up the good work, to keep plugging away at their craft. There were times in my teaching career, especially at the beginning, when I felt alone, discouraged, and unsupported. As time went on, instructional coach positions were created in Bedford County, and I was able to work with two astounding instructional coaches who saved me! Right then, I knew I wanted to work in this capacity. I have always wanted to be an instructional coach so I could make sure no teacher felt the way I felt when I started my career 24 years ago.
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote? My favorite quote isn't an educational quote, but I relate it to education and teaching. Kirby Smart, one of the greatest Georgia Bulldogs coaches of all time said, "You don't win games kicking field goals." There is a lot of truth behind this statement when talking about education. We can play the game, put a few points on the board, and maybe have a mediocre season. What really determines the outcome of the game are the big plays and the touchdowns. As with education, we can be satisfied with mediocrity and complacency, or we can work hard and win big.
Meet Storm Taylor - East Side Elementary School
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote?
"Success is not about the destination, it's about the journey." - Ted Lasso
This quote (from the greatest coach on TV) speaks to the value of the experiences, growth, and learning that occur along the way toward your goals. The journey through education is never without its challenges, but the victories and moments of growth are just as important as the outcome.
Meet Malcolm Martin - Harris Middle School
2. Why did you want to become a coach? Coaching is something that I had always been passionate about. From the basketball court to the classroom, I had always felt my leadership and teaching style resembled high-level professional coaches. Coaches are quick thinkers, innovative and are able to adjust on the fly. Likewise, I believe high quality educators are similar. I believe every student deserves a high-quality education, and in order for ALL students to receive high quality education, there must be high quality leaders. Teachers are some of the most influential people in a child’s life, and I wanted to help teachers learn and develop skills where they can meet children where they are and help them grow and develop into the best students and citizens they can be.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a coach? What drives your passion for coaching? Growth! It is always great to watch others grow and develop their craft. Whether it is a student or teacher, anyone that I am able to impact in a positive way means so much and makes coming to work worth it every day.
4. What is your favorite inspirational education quote? The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." It is a beautiful thing when students achieve in our core content areas such as ELA, math, science, and social studies. However, what is even greater is when we have taught students to be an integral part of our communities, to treat each other with respect and to be life-long learners. The goal of true education is to teach the whole student.
5. What other information do you feel would be beneficial to know about you or your position? After graduating high school, I joined the military at the age of 18. I completed ten years in the military, four years active duty and six in the National Guard. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters, ages three and two. They keep me going. I am excited to help Bedford continue to grow and become one of the best districts in the state.
Meet Ross Wilson - Harris Middle School
Meet Ali Taylor - Learning Way Elementary School
I truly have a servant’s heart. It has always been a passion of mine to help others in any capacity. As I taught in the classroom for 9 and a half years, it was evident that there was a need for the support of our teachers! I have the highest respect for what teachers do every day, and I am excited to have the chance to coach our wonderful teachers and be a true support system for all of them.
My favorite part of coaching so far is seeing all of the amazing work that our teachers are doing! Their hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed; I have done my best to ensure they know that. The amount of collaboration they are willing to take part in is invaluable and I have loved being a guide in that collaboration. Learning from each other as teachers is one of the most important parts of education, and it has been a joy to learn from each other and share ideas. As their coach, I hope to be a true support in all aspects of their career in education!
One of my favorite inspirational education quotes is a reflection of my belief in strong collaboration among educators. This rings true in classrooms as we are educating our students, as well.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin
Meet Lindy Holland - Liberty School
Meet Melynda Whitaker - Southside Elementary School