Below are remarks delivered at the April Board of Education Business Meeting at Mexico Middle School on April 24, 2025 by Board President James Emery.

A “consummate professional” who is well organized and well respected by staff and students is the description that Mexico High School Resource Officer and our November Proud to be MACS recipient, Mike Martin used when I asked him about his co-worker of 18 years and tonight’s Proud to be MACS recipient, Carol Bell, School Monitor at the Mexico High School. I think all will agree with Mike’s assessment after hearing the following remarks.

Carol grew up in a small village about 80 miles from London, England. She attended a public school that has a very rich history. Carol stated that the oldest building was built in the 11th century and the famous English statesman and politician, Oliver Cromwell was associated with the school.

Carol would meet her husband, Walt at a birthday party after being introduced by mutual English friends. Walt spent ten years living in England while serving in the Air Force. Happily, at the end of this year, Carol and Walt will celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary. The family includes three sons and is a great source of pride for Carol, who stated that she loved every second of being a mom and a military wife. The family now includes daughter in laws, seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Eventually, Carol, Walt, and the boys transferred to the United States when Walt was assigned to a base in North Dakota.

In North Dakota, Carol sought work in her sons’ school, where she was a cafeteria worker.  By working in the school, Carol got to know the staff and students, which is always a nice connection for a parent.

Next the family moved to their dream location of Plattsburgh Air Force Base. Some might wonder why the Plattsburgh Air Force Base located in Plattsburgh, New York and known as much for its cold weather as our area is known for snow would be anyone’s dream location? The reason was that Walt grew up across Lake Champlain from Plattsburgh in Vermont and would watch the military planes fly into and out of Plattsburgh Air Force Base; seeing those planes inspired young Walt to join the Air Force.

At Plattsburgh, Carol worked as a playground monitor as well as working in the military mail office sorting mail. Sadly, Carol remembers that their dream location ended when Plattsburgh Air Force base was closed. They were one of the last families to leave.

From there, the family drove 2,879 miles and 42 hours cross country to California. That drive was in the day when paper maps, not GPS, got you to your destination. Carol turned out to be an expert map reader.

Their final duty location was back east in New Jersey where Walt retired after 26.5 years in the Air Force.

Walt’s first civilian job was in Oswego, an area where they had no family and did not know anyone. But, as Carol stated, “Bloom where you are planted.”

The family eventually settled in Mexico because the size of our District was just right and the majestic Mexico High School reminded Carol of the historic high school she had attended.

Carol started with MACS in the food service department. When a position came up for a full time monitor at the high school, she applied and has been there ever since now having served the District for 25 plus years.

So how has a military wife and mom, who has traveled extensively fared at the Mexico High School? For the answer, I asked several of Carol’s colleagues.

Last month’s Proud to be MACS recipient and Carol’s nominator, Michelle Bittner, writes, “When I was asked to say a few words about Carol Bell, I had to think about just how to put into words what an amazing person she is. I have so many amazing stories and wonderful things I could share. You see, Carol has a strong sense of compassion and professionalism when it comes to her role as a study hall teacher at Mexico High School. She holds her students to a higher standard than most of them are accustomed to. She is kind, fair, understanding and compassionate. Both to students and staff.

Her expectations of respect and fairness are evident. She is strict, yet fair. If she is wrong, she will be the first to say so. And for this reason, the students respect and love her.

Her delightful British accent has the students confused most times. And, the terms she uses from her youth and upbringing in the UK have them all just scratching their heads most days. She refers to them as “young people” when she addresses them in a group, and they often don’t realize she’s referring to them at all. Or she will be the first to tell them “Don’t be so cheeky” if they are being disrespectful or snarky. She calls it how it is, and I love her pragmatic approach to teaching the students respect and rules.”

Along those lines, colleague Amy Clark writes, “Carol Bell is a firm rule enforcer which tends to keep the students at bay at first. Once they get to know her though, she is a great listener and sounding board for their concerns and issues. She does not shy away from sharing a similar story from her past experiences.”

I asked Carol what she enjoys about her job. She responded that she loves working with our older students. She loves to see them mature from when she has them in 9th and10th grade lunch duty to having them in 11th and 12th grade study hall. She also enjoys being able to joke with them. She firmly believes that if a student has a bad day, tomorrow is a new day. Carol never takes things personally because she believes that you won’t survive working with teenagers if you do.

As for a favorite memory, Carol recalls one of her students that she had “In House” coming up to her outside of school some 10 years later and apologizing for his rude behavior. This apology was unexpected but was certainly gratifying to Carol.

Carol stated that she has worked with some wonderful coworkers over the years. Several have become lifelong friends.
Colleague JoAnne Mentor echoes this when she writes, “On my first day as a monitor I was extremely nervous. When Carol saw me, she greeted me with a smile and nothing but kindness. Since then, we have enjoyed many conversations, funny stories, snacks, gifts, and most importantly our friendship. She is a great asset to our team of friends.”

 Along those lines, Michelle Bittner writes, “I will never forget meeting Carol for the first time. It was during covid that we began to work so closely together, and I remember thinking, if not for her unwavering sense of friendship and her ability to keep me sane in a time the world was not, I don’t think I would have made it through. I will forever be grateful that the stars aligned for us to not only be colleagues but friends.”

Michelle further amplifies this friendship by writing, “Carol is the kindest soul and would do anything for a friend. Carol is the friend that you want in life. She is a light on a dark day. She is laughter in a room of gloom. She is just a gem of gems!”

And so Carol, for being the consummate professional, for your 25 plus years of service with our District, for holding your students to a higher standard, for being kind, fair, understanding and compassionate to staff and students, for your pragmatic approach to teaching the students respect and rules, for being a firm rule enforcer, for being a great listener, sounding board, and sharer of your experiences with our students, for being a great colleague and friend, for being light on a dark day, for bringing laughter to a room of gloom, but, most importantly, for being a gem of gems, we, the Board, enthusiastically recognize you as our Proud to be MACS recipient for April 2025.