Betsy Rogers experienced an alarming discovery while working in a kindergarten classroom in a small, old steel-mill town west of Birmingham – she found snakes. To her surprise, she found not just one, but multiple snakes, a total of 16 in just two days. This was not a new issue, as snakes had been a problem in the room for years. Previous complaints had been made by a school secretary to the district office, but no action had been taken.
Rogers believes that the system allowed the problem to persist because of the school’s location in Brighton, which is considered one of the worst schools in Alabama. However, snakes are just one visible challenge among many that need to be overcome at Brighton School.
Rogers, who was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year in 2003, intentionally chose this K-8 campus with approximately 395 students for her return to teaching. Unlike her previous experience in Leeds, where she taught for 17 years, every child at Brighton School comes from a modest background. Many students struggle with essential skills such as reading, writing, and math, while some are also learning English. The school building itself is in need of significant repairs. Most teachers are overwhelmed with the academic challenges their students face, as well as the additional burdens of living in a poor neighborhood. The principal, who previously worked with Rogers in Leeds, primarily focuses on the middle school, leaving Rogers and others to lead the elementary classes in a separate building.
Surprisingly, this is exactly what Rogers wanted. Despite her prestigious title, she chose to return to the classroom rather than pursuing a higher leadership role or a career as a consultant or motivational speaker. As a widow with two adult sons and the caretaker for her elderly parents, Rogers felt most at home in the classroom. She saw working at Brighton School, with all its challenges, as an opportunity to show other dedicated teachers how they can make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children in difficult-to-staff schools.
Rogers’ journey at Brighton began with the snakes two years ago, but that was just the beginning. She admits that although she thought she understood the needs of schools like Brighton, it wasn’t until she was behind closed doors that she truly grasped the critical nature of those needs. During her tenure as Alabama’s Teacher of the Year, the Jefferson County school district, which encompasses Birmingham and Brighton School, provided her with office space when she wasn’t traveling. It was during this time that Janet Hagood, who worked in federal programs for the district, introduced Rogers to Brighton School.
Both women developed a deep affection for the school, where the vulnerability and enthusiasm of the students is evident on their faces. Rogers describes the students as being full of excitement and behaving exceptionally well.
Brighton is a small town with a population of approximately 3,600 residents. The majority of the residents live in old wooden houses situated on narrow and hilly lanes. While some of these homes were once grand, many of them have fallen into disrepair. The town’s downtown district consists of a few stores and beauty shops, but there are more churches in Brighton than there are cash registers.
The school in Brighton is located on top of a hill. It was previously a segregated high school for black students and served as the heart of a working-class community. However, over the years, the school has deteriorated. The football-field goalposts are now rusty brown, and the swing sets are missing swings.
Brighton is classified as a “tier one” school in Alabama, which means it has not shown any improvement on state tests for four consecutive years. As a result, a state-assigned “accountability teacher” constantly monitors student achievement on campus and works closely with the principal, Rogers, and other staff members.
“Some people in this district didn’t want me to come here… I think many of them prefer to ignore this school,” says Rogers, reflecting on the resistance she faced when initially taking on her role.
One day in 2002, while Rogers was serving as the state teacher of the year, she and Hagood were visiting Brighton when they encountered snakes coming out from a hole in one of the classroom walls. Despite this incident, Rogers returned the following summer and spent time preparing the same classroom for her own use.
Shortly before the start of the school year, the new principal of Brighton, Margie Curry, asked Rogers to serve as a coach for all teachers instead of teaching a specific group of students. Although hesitant at first, Rogers agreed to take on the role of Brighton’s curriculum coordinator. In essence, she became a co-principal of the elementary school building located downhill from the middle school. Rogers explains that it took until Christmas time to establish some sense of order in the school, as they had been scrambling to address various administrative issues, such as outdated student records.
Currently, Rogers dedicates a significant portion of her time to visiting classrooms, where she familiarizes herself with the students and models lessons for teachers. She also collaborates with teachers to develop lesson plans and activities. In addition, she attends numerous meetings, including those with the reading coach, the principal, and other staff members. Despite her busy schedule, Rogers still manages to care for students by helping with their runny noses and occasionally delivering speeches.
Rogers insists that her dream has not changed, even though her experience at Brighton has been different from what she initially anticipated. She remains humble and approachable, speaking with a distinct central Alabama accent. Her office, which she shares with the guidance counselor, Georgia James, displays minimal signs of her prestigious national award. The only notable items are a colorful patchwork quilt gifted by an anonymous donor and a photograph of Rogers with her sons and President Bush after winning the national honor.
Rogers was initially surprised when she was named Jefferson County’s teacher of the year in 2002, as she believed others were more deserving. She went on to become Alabama’s teacher of the year that same year while teaching 1st and 2nd graders at Leeds Elementary School near Birmingham. Rogers traveled to Washington, D.C., for interviews with leaders in national education organizations. A week later, she received a call from the Alabama state superintendent informing her that she had been selected for the top honor, which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic Inc.
Whether working with children or adults, Rogers treats everyone with the same kindness and respect. She effortlessly discusses training and academic standards with teachers while also asking about their families. Her colleague, Hagood, praises Rogers’ ability to make others feel comfortable and notes that children are naturally drawn to her. Hagood believes that having a role model like Rogers is essential for teachers who aspire to work in high-need schools.
Rogers, who is 53 years old, appears just as comfortable addressing a national education conference as she is speaking to a small group of retired educators at a local cafe. She is described as a down-to-earth person, which is why children are drawn to her. Yolonda Lucas, the reading coach at Brighton who has been at the school for 10 years, affirms that Rogers’ relatability is what makes her beloved by the students.
In the accompanying photograph, Rogers is seen meeting with fellow teachers during a grade-level meeting. She plans to continue her work at Brighton School in the coming year.
Rogers’ bold and outspoken nature is evident in her recently launched blog on Teacher Magazine. Her candid web posts about life at Brighton School have garnered attention from people all over the world. “I may appear controversial, but really, I am not. I support teachers and students alike,” she clarifies.
Brighton School, although it now includes a Latino population, is still predominantly a minority school. 84% of the students are black, and there is a growing percentage of Hispanic students, currently at 16%. The majority of the students are eligible for subsidized meals, and many of them do not have regular access to healthcare. The school is in dire need of a medical clinic and even lacks a nurse.
Rogers and her colleagues find the condition of the school to be embarrassing. Even Rogers’ own philosophy on school improvement is being tested by the recent struggles of Brighton. “Our schools can be fixed!” she boldly claims, as seen on Starbucks Coffee cups across the country.
The school’s library consists of nothing more than two classrooms with a limited selection of worn-out books and deteriorating carpet. Fortunately, students from Rogers’ alma mater, Samford University, are planning to renovate the library.
For six years, the school did not have a public-address system, and the current one was salvaged from a tornado-damaged school. The absence of outside bells makes it difficult for teachers and students to know when to report to class. Additionally, the computer lab in the elementary school building is in such poor condition that it cannot be used.
Rogers emphasizes that the current state of the school does not reflect the quality expected from a Jefferson County school. The neglect it has suffered is evident. Thankfully, plans to replace the school are in the works, with Brighton being the top priority on Jefferson County’s list. However, the progress has been delayed due to a court case regarding the use of local sales taxes for school construction.
Yancy Morris, the deputy superintendent for administrative services in Jefferson County, assures that the district will address repair requests for the existing campus if resources are available. He acknowledges that some repairs have already been carried out in recent years. On the academic front, Brighton faces pressure from the state and the district to improve math and reading test scores, resulting in less emphasis on science and social studies.
Rogers acknowledges this discrepancy and expresses her concern that Brighton does not have the same standards as more successful schools. However, there is some positive news. Brighton’s scores on state reading tests have significantly improved, thanks to Rogers’ guidance. The school implemented the scripted and phonics-based Open Court reading program in the early grades, which has resulted in 87% of first-grade students meeting state standards in the most recent test. Rogers has also encouraged displaying more student work in the hallways and adding fresh paint to brighten the school. The school now receives regular volunteer assistance from students at Samford University and other local universities.
According to Rogers, convincing more teachers to follow her example will require a significant amount of attention from both political and educational leaders, not to mention financial resources. She recommends offering stipends to teachers who dedicate extra hours to assisting students or engaging in professional development, as well as providing extended-year contracts to exceptional educators. “I truly believe that incentives are necessary for this to happen,” she asserts. “This is not easy work; teaching is challenging.”
However, Rogers opposes the idea of connecting salary bonuses for nationally certified teachers, such as herself, to working in underperforming schools. She also disagrees with the notion of tying teacher pay or bonuses directly to students’ test scores. “I would prefer to see teachers receive a bonus for accepting positions in schools that are difficult to staff,” she states. “I have personally reached out to some teachers [to join Brighton School], and maybe we will be successful in recruiting a few.”
Rogers is collaborating with community and business leaders to encourage the development of new houses in the numerous vacant lots throughout the community. Her hope is that, in the next school year—since she intends to continue her work—she will have more time to focus on assisting children who require the greatest academic support. “I want to spend more time in that classroom,” she declares, disregarding any concerns about encountering snakes. Despite the challenges she faces, Rogers has no regrets about choosing to work at Brighton School.
“This experience has provided me with the most extensive learning opportunity I have ever had,” she affirms.