This week, we are excited to profile Ted Duncan, School Director of Brevard Academy, an extraordinary leader championing leadership in the movement and future generations.
Leadership is the cornerstone of Ted Duncan’s philosophy. With over two decades of experience, Ted, the School Director of Brevard Academy, has worn various hats in the field of education—from a classroom teacher to coach, administrator, and board member.
Ted attended Warren Wilson College in western North Carolina, earning a degree in English literature, where his professors suggested he would be a great teacher.
“I love reading about leadership,” said Ted. “I love thinking about how to influence and motivate and lead groups of people to do great things.”
He began his teaching career in Long Beach, California, teaching sixth grade. Wanting to get back to North Carolina, he returned to the mountains when an opening at Henderson County Public Schools became available. Ted taught middle school language arts, science, and social studies.
He first encountered charter schools when he took a job at the Francine Delany New School for Children, a K-8 charter school in Asheville. At Francine Delany, Ted stepped into a semi-administrative role where he coordinated the arts program, communications, and parent outreach. He was inspired to get his master’s in school administration.
“I just really wanted to learn how to become a better teacher, and really enjoyed working with students and watching them grow,” said Ted.
From there, Ted joined Brevard Academy, a charter school in Pisgah Forest, NC (south of Asheville), as the school director in 2016.
“I can’t put my finger on any one thing, it’s just the feel of the building,” Ted said. “It just feels really positive to be at Brevard Academy.”
Importance of Physical Education
A unique aspect of Brevard Academy is that it offers physical education and recess daily. Ted has seen parents light up and choose the school because parents know the value in focusing wiggly student energy for children kindergarten through eighth grade.
“When I was in a traditional school in the elementary school, kids had recess every day except P.E., and they only have P.E. once a week,” shared Ted. “Students might not have any time in the daylight, either before or after school, to get outside, and so knowing that your child’s going to do that at school, I think is really beneficial for parents. It’s a healthy and natural way to get that energy out in a positive way.”
Brevard Academy was the first school in the Carolinas to reach “Blue Zones” status—a national program award for schools that promote healthy lifestyles through daily exercise and nutritious meals.
Ahead of the Curve: A Cell Phone Free Zone
Since the beginning, Brevard Academy has been a cell phone-free school. Students aren’t required to put them in lockers but aren’t granted access to them throughout the day.
“We know that they are wonderful tools, but they are also incredibly effective distraction devices, and we don’t want those distractions,” said Ted. “The work that we’re doing growing kids, that’s really important work, and we need to reduce the distractions that we have.”
According to Ted, not having cell phones reduces and prevents behavior problems and social conflicts that may occur because of something happening on social media. Ensuring the safety of their students and emphasizing resources available, such as school resource officers, has helped parents accept this policy.
“The decision makers are all in the building”
“I love the flexibility and the autonomy that charters have,” said Ted, who is drawn to the concept of a one room schoolhouse. “The decision makers are all in the building.”
He added: “We have to live with the decisions that we make, good and bad, because we’re all here. We report in every day, and so we really get to see that decision that we thought would be a good idea. Get to see all those unintended consequences play themselves out, and then we get to make those corrections.”
For teachers, Ted believes charter schools can be extra motivating.
“I tell staff members, as we’re hiring them, you know you’re going to be surrounded by other high-performing teachers, because if you’re not high performing, you’re not going to last here,” said Ted. “And you know that might sound a little bit harsh to some, but you know this, we’re talking about molding the next generation.”
A True Community Partner
Ted’s most significant achievement is establishing Brevard as a community partner. Over the past nine years, the school has become an integral part of the community. Ted serves on several community boards, including the Chamber of Commerce, and will be the president of the local Rotary Club next year.
This strong community engagement is a key factor in the school’s success. In fact, Spotlight Carolina called Brevard Academy “one of the most respected and revered schools in all of western North Carolina.”
“When you really show a community how you’re contributing in an important way to them, that’s going to come back to you tenfold,” said Ted. “So whether it’s recruiting board members who are going to help to accomplish the mission after you’re gone, whether it’s recruiting volunteers to help kids understand math or reading concepts, or run a Friday club leverage grants, I think that it’s really important to be community minded and publicly minded as a charter.”
In that spirit, the school recently launched an on-site health facility to help offer services to students, their families and school staff.
According to Ted, this connection with the community helps combat misinformation about charter schools. Through these volunteer activities and board appointments, Brevard can turn students, families, and community members into charter advocates.
“Being able to educate others on that within your community is really important because the more community support that we can build, the more that that’s going to impact the lives of the students, the teachers, and the families that come here in a positive way,” said Ted.
Indeed, that education is critical. The school’s “All About Brevard Academy” video includes a section explaining just exactly what a charter school is:
Within those community connections, you may have a future volunteer, a monetary donation, or someone who sees your student walking around in a school uniform and compliments them.
“We want kids to be proud of where they go to school,” said Ted.
Turning Natural Disaster into Community Builder
Hurricane Helene devastated a lot of western North Carolina, and the families of Brevard Academy felt the hurricane’s destruction. The school and its families experienced tremendous support from the education community.
The North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools stepped to the plate and hosted an “Adopt a School” program for Western North Carolina. Brevard Academy received donations and continued financial support. Ted recently received a holiday card with a gift card to help with the school’s continued recovery efforts.
“The charter community has great, great people within it who have lots of experience in really unique situations and how to handle, how to handle adversity or challenges, and by connecting with them, you’re going to make yourself stronger to accomplish your mission,” Ted said.
Read more about the work CharterFolk and the community have done to support and rebuild Western North Carolina here: A Global Whip Around to Start Off the New Year – CharterFolk. If you would like to support fellow CharterFolk at Brevard Academy in recovery efforts, please click here.
We hope that by highlighting the resilience of leaders in Western North Carolina, we can inspire and reassure the school communities in Los Angeles. Please remember that you are not alone; CharterFolk stands with you during this challenging time. We know you will overcome the obstacles you face, and we are here to support you.