Launched in 2008, the Mebane Masters program changed the face of education in Davie County. Providing a holistic method of teaching to technology-savvy students, Mebane Masters quickly earned overwhelmingly positive responses from students, teachers, administrators, and the community.
The core of the program was a 30-month partnership between Davie County Schools and the ASU Reich College of Education. The 15 teachers in the program remained in their Davie County classrooms while pursuing their Master of Arts degrees in instructional technology. They acted as the school’s primary resource for their peers when it came to questions about the best and most pragmatic ways to maximize technology’s benefit in the classroom. It was our first look at real-time, teacher-driven, in-house professional development.
The student-teacher component became another crucial piece of the Mebane Masters Program. Over five semesters in two and a half years, 60 Appalachian student teachers were housed in Davie County, spending their 15-week semester paired with one of the 15 Mebane Master teachers. Many of the student teachers who rotated through the program ultimately decided to teach in the Davie County Schools.
The technology-rich environment, laced with a palpable innovative spirit, created an intensive learning environment for Davie students, student teachers, and Master teachers.
Where the Mebane Masters are today
Fifteen years later, 11 of the 15 teachers remain with Davie County Schools and enthusiastically embrace their professional roles. They shared how the Mebane Masters program continues to influence their teaching careers and impact the lives of their students.
Donna Dunn
STEM English Teacher, Davie County High School
Donna Dunn is in her 38th year of teaching and says she still finds the work quite rewarding. She has taught 9th grade for many years and loves to watch students grow and figure out high school and get excited about what they are learning.
“Being allowed to be a Mebane Master was such an honor to me. When I was accepted, I marveled at how deeply my system (Davie County Public Schools ) and the Mebane Foundation were willing to invest in me and the others.
The coursework during Mebane Masters encouraged us to try lots of new things. I think my biggest takeaway was to remember that today’s technology will be outdated quite quickly and that learners (both adults and teenagers!) need to embrace the rapid pace of change.”
Angelina Etter
Media Specialist, Cornazter Elementary
Angelina Etter taught kindergarten, first, and second grade at Mocksville Elementary for 20 years. This is her third year as the media specialist at Cornatzer.
“The program has helped me be a better-equipped teacher and now a media specialist. Technology is always changing. My master’s degree in instructional technology has opened many doors for me as an educator.”
Diane Ireland
5th Grade Teacher, William R. Davie Elementary
Diane Ireland is in her 26th year teaching. This is her 23rd year at William R. Davie, where she has taught second, fourth, and fifth grade and coordinated many of the summer programs over the years, including Summer of Fun Learning Academy and Kinder Camp.
“This program provided me with knowledge to expand and implement engaging lessons and activities with my students.
At the same time, I was able to collaborate with other teachers in our district, sharing technology resources. This experience allowed me to be a mentor and cooperative teacher to several student teachers.”
Her experiences with the Foundation have continued. “In 2012, the Mebane Foundation provided a grant allowing me to be one of the first groups of educators from Davie County to become a Kenan Fellow. During this fellowship, I was able to learn firsthand how logistics is part of the global economic supply chain. This allowed students for several years to learn about logistics through interactive lessons that I created relating to this endeavor. “The variety of partnerships that the Mebane Charitable Foundation has personally provided my students and myself have impacted the children and me to continue to grow as learners. Just this past summer, I coordinated and taught at William R. Davie’s Kinder Camp. This camp has been funded by Mebane for several years and helps with the transition between home and school for rising kindergarteners.”
“Mebane’s generosity and stewardship to our community is enabling educators and students to have learning experiences that are leading to success. I am truly grateful for the Foundation’s partnership with Davie County Schools and look forward to ways to enhance learning for all children in the future.”
Brooke Jennings
2nd Grade Teacher, Pinebrook Elementary
Brooke Jennings has been teaching in Davie County Schools for 20 years. She taught kindergarten for 12 years and spent 7 years teaching third grade. This year, she joined the Pinebrook Trojan Team as a second-grade teacher.
“In 2013 – 2014, I was selected as Cornatzer Elementary School Teacher of the Year and went on to win Davie County Teacher of the Year. I feel strongly that having my degree in Instructional Technology helped me to grow and become more effective in my teaching career. This degree equipped me with a solid foundation in kindergarten and third grade while also helping me confidently incorporate and integrate technology into all content areas.”
“To this day, the Mebane Masters program is still one of the biggest blessings to happen within my teaching career.”
John Marshall
Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist for Davie County Schools
John Marshall has held many roles since graduating from the Mebane Masters program. He started as the SAVE program teacher at North Davie Middle School but left the classroom to work with the STEM initiative. Two years later, he transferred to the central office to support the curriculum department. Today, he serves as the Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist and Arts Coordinator.
“The Mebane Masters program through the Mebane Foundation was the springboard to my career with Davie County Schools as an instructional technology support person for all teachers in the district.
It provided me with experiences and skills that were essential in moving Davie County into a one-to-one district for grades 6-12, transitioning to remote learning during the pandemic, and transitioning back to the classroom following the pandemic with blended learning. The Mebane Masters Program also provided me with a support system of professionals that I still lean on today when I need support or someone to bounce an idea off of. Davie County is blessed to have the ongoing support of the Mebane Foundation as it continues to support the students and teachers of Davie County.”
Laura Martin
AIG Specialist
After the end of the 2023-24 school year, AIG Specialist Laura Martin will have had the opportunity to serve children at all six elementary schools in Davie County.
“I have taken on the role of lead AIG Specialist for the county since getting my degree. I feel that this degree has allowed me to build relationships with teachers at all of the schools in the county and that those relationships have improved my teaching and theirs! We already have a trust that, even years later, allows us to plan and work closely together as needed to better the education of students in Davie County. “
Kelly Myers
Instructional Coach, Cooleemee Elementary
Kelly Myers has been an instructional coach at Cooleemee Elementary since graduating from the Mebane Master program. Over time, that role has changed to include supporting K-5 math at other schools, including Shady Grove Elementary. “The relationships built with colleagues during the Mebane Master program have been an incredible blessing. While technology programs and resources are ever-changing, having opportunities to collaborate alongside my fellow Mebane Master cohort members has a huge impact on my growth as an educator. With student learning as our focus, we continue to research and implement strategies to help our students set and achieve their goals.”
Heather Ratledge
Davie County Schools K-8 Blended Learning Lead
As the K-8 Blended Learning Lead for the County, Heather Ratledge works with teachers to provide training and support in incorporating blended learning in their classrooms.
“Our focus is on using station rotations, playlists, choice boards, and video teaching to provide students with more choices in their learning. Using these tools and strategies also provides an easier, less obvious way to differentiate learning for all students. Being a part of the Mebane Masters program has truly gotten me to this place! I use a lot of things I learned during that program every single day!”
Yvette Shore
Math Department Chair, Davie County High School
Yvette Shore is in her 21st year of teaching. She serves as the math department chair and currently teaches NC Math 3 and AP AB Calculus classes at Davie High.
“The Mebane Masters program impacts every student that enters my classroom. I strive to provide my students with hands-on learning activities and real-world applications to help them make connections in their learning. It is important to me that students take ownership of their learning and that they can share their learning.”
“I share learning strategies and technologies with colleagues, and I have presented for years at North Carolina Teachers of Mathematics conferences. I enjoy opportunities to collaborate and network with teachers from across our state. It is especially rewarding to hear from former students about things they learned and recalled from our classes with regard to content and technology resources.”
Staci Tatum, 4th Grade Math and Science at Cooleemee Elementary School, and Elizabeth Hill, 6th Grade ELA at William Ellis Middle School, also continue to teach in Davie County Schools after completing the Mebane Masters program.
In summary, the Mebane Masters Program…
- Substantially improved education for students in every classroom at every grade level throughout Davie County Schools.
- Created a powerful, new model for teacher education and professional development.
- Made it much easier for Davie County Schools to recruit and retain the best teachers.
- Laid the groundwork for STEM Infusion.
