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Meet the Teachers

Pre-K: olivia Boudwin

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I am from Apex, North Carolina and I graduated from Appalachian State with a degree in Child Development Birth-Kindergarten education and a minor in Spanish.  This is my fourth year of teaching!  My past couple of summers have been dedicated to Camp Twitch and Shout where I work as Camp Director.

Kindergarten: jean whitaker

My name is Jean Whitaker and this is my 22nd year as a Kindergarten teacher. I taught virtual for 3 years and this is my first year as a Bethel Kindergarten teacher. I have the same responsibilities as other classroom teachers, but students will be experiencing school for the first time. I will teach them basic skills of reading, writing, and math, in addition to showing them how to behave in the classroom and play nicely with others. I will assess where they are academically and emotionally in order to set goals for each student. I am looking forward to another great year in Kindergarten and all the special moments we will have.

1st grade: pam west

Welcome to 1st grade! I am super excited to be teaching 1st grade! I have been teaching at Bethel Elementary since 2015 and I love being a part of the Bethel community. First grade is such a fun year with so many exciting learning opportunities and adventures. I am committed to creating a classroom environment where all students are valued, trusted, and an integral part of our family of learners. We are honored to have Mrs. Amber Blair as a TA in our classroom. We truly love our students!

I completed my Education degree at Appalachian State University. I also have a BS degree in Housing & Interiors from Appalachian State. I reside in Boone with my husband and our 3 dogs - a Siberian husky, chocolate Lab, and Boxer/Pyranees mix. We enjoy taking our dogs to play frisbee at the lake, swimming, tennis, spending time outside, and college football games. We have 3 children. Corey graduated from NCSU and is working in NYC. Zachary is getting his MBA and playing football at ETSU. Laurel is attending UNCW. Therefore, I am often traveling on the weekends to spend time with my children.

2nd grade: olivia emmert

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I am from Greensboro, North Carolina and I graduated with my bachelor's in Elementary Education. This is my first year teaching and I am so excited to be at Bethel! In my free time I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and spending time with friends and family. 2nd grade always has had a special place in my heart.

3rd grade: maura miller

4th grade: robin gardener

 

Hi, I'm Mrs. Gardner. I have been teaching for 20 years, and 5 of those years have been here at Bethel. I was born and raised in Indiana. My husband is the director of the Marching Mountaineers at Appalachian State University. That is what brought us here to North Carolina. I have 3 children -- a junior, a sophomore, and a 6th grader. We have a cute little Sheltie named Wolfgang. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, traveling, playing board games, and watching old movies. 

5th grade - anne sukow

My name is Anne Sukow, and I have taught at Bethel School since 2001!  I love it here!  I have taught 3rd -6th grades here, but I have taught 5th grade since 2009.  

I was born and raised in Watauga County. My husband, Patrick, and I have married since 2005.  We have two sons Brodie and Cullen.  We live in Valle Crucis, and have a dog, Hotch.  We enjoy being outside, going to the beach and spending time together.

6th grade - courtney cook

I teach 6th Grade at Bethel, as well as a couple of exploratory classes for Middle School. I am 38, and live in the Banner Elk area, but I am originally from West Virginia. I am an Army Veteran. I moved to NC in 2011 to work as a correctional officer for the state while finishing my enlistment. After being blessed with my daughter, I decided it was time for a career change and went back to school to become a teacher! I graduated from Appalachian State University in 2020 with a degree in Elementary Education, and have almost finished a Masters degree in Reading Education.

middle school language arts & social studies: netta sue hill

middle school science & Math: jack faullin

Middle School pre-Math & Math I: sage mckinney

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My name is Sage McKinney.  I am from Avery County, received a Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Education from the University of Mars Hill. I am certified to teach Middle School Math, Elementary Education, and Special Education. This will be my 5th year teaching and my second year at Bethel School!

I look forward to working together with you as partners in your child’s growth and development!

Feel free to reach out at any time if you have any questions or concerns. Since I am at 2 different schools, email is the best way to reach me. My email is mckinneys@wataugaschools.org

band/orchestra: Madison snelson

choral music: terry lyon

cte: chelsie eldreth

Hi! Welcome to the Career and Technical Education page for Bethel and Valle Crucis Schools.  My name is Chelsie Eldreth and I have been teaching CTE in Watauga County for about 10 years, all 10 have been at Valle Crucis School and the last 7 years, I have been at Bethel as well.  I teach at Valle Crucis every morning and Bethel every afternoon. I am married to my husband Jason and I have 2 children, Kylie and Easton.  I graduated from Appalachian State University with an undergraduate degree in Advertising and Marketing, and a Masters Certificate in Middle and Secondary Education: Curriculum and Instruction. 

We are very blessed to have a great CTE program in Watauga County and your students will have the opportunity to take CTE each year of middle school. As your student transitions to high school, we have a wide variety of CTE class options and pathways!  In middle school we teach: Exploring Technology (6th), Intro to Business and Leadership (7th) and Career Exploration (8th).  I also love helping assist my students as they transition to high school and complete high school registration information.  Please feel free to email me anytime you have any questions or concerns and I look forward to teaching your children! 

media specialist: melody cook

physical education: Hope Mough

exceptional children: erin scott & tamara buckley

aig specialist: audrey mikkola

math specialist: jamie ward

Welcome to Bethel Elementary School. My name is Jamie Ward and I currently serve as the grade 4th - 8th math intervention specialist at Bethel School and have held this position since 2016.  My teaching career began at North Davie Junior High in Davie County after graduating from ASU in 1986. After that year I moved back to Boone to marry the love of my life, Kevin Ward. I taught math and science from 1987 - 2015 at Hardin Park Elementary in grades 6th - 8th.   My husband, Kevin and I have triplet daughters who were born in 2001.  Sydney and Laramie graduated from ASU in May of 2023 and Elizabeth will begin NC State Veterinary School in August of 2024. I enjoy spending time outside on our hobby farm with a barn full of animals or flower and vegetable gardening. I am looking forward to working with your children this year.  

reading specialist: mckinley kunz

I have the privilege of serving as Bethel's Literacy Specialist. I plan and facilitate literacy interventions for students individually and in small groups, and support teachers as they plan instruction and interventions. 


Degrees and Certifications
BS Elementary Education - Appalachian State University
MA Reading Education (K-12)- Appalachian State University

National Board Certified Teacher (Literacy: Reading-Language Arts) 

school counselor: mckenzie gheesling

I am originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and I received my Masters in Education (School Counseling) from North Carolina State University. This is my fourth year as the School Counselor, and I absolutely love this school and community!In my spare time, I love spending time with my husband and our daughter, working at summer camps, and exploring the beautiful High Country. I am honored to be your school counselor here at Bethel and look forward to serving you all! 

School nurse: Allison margerison

school social worker: megan langdon