‘Be Golden’ Staff Member of the Week: Rebecca Barlett


Hailey Vanish

Ms. Barlett has had many jobs and responsibilities in her teaching career at Tyrone. She is currently an ESL teacher and the cyber coordinator.

The “Be Golden” award is a faculty and staff recognition program at the high school. It is given to a teacher or staff that is making a difference at Tyrone.

This award is given weekly by a faculty/staff member to another faculty/staff member. Whoever receives the trophy on Friday is responsible for awarding it to someone else the following week. The only criteria are to give it to someone who has done something to make the school a better place.

“With the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative in our school, we want to not only recognize students for being golden but staff members as well,” said Shannon Davis, the award program coordinator. “This is a way to personally thank people we work with every day, but don’t always have the chance to show them how much they are appreciated.”

Last week the award went to ninth grade and DE history teacher Suzanne Burket.

She chose to give the award to English as a Second Language (ESL) and cyber school administrator Rebecca Barlett.

Mrs. Burket’s quote:

You have worn many hats in your years at Tyrone:  Middle school English, senior English, ESL, cyber coordinator, speech, 9th-grade remediation, TAEA leadership and perhaps a few more that I have missed.  You are always willing to share your best ideas with others, and you take the time to teach others how to do something great that you have recently figured out.  As an ESL teacher, you not only taught your students about English but about so many other things they would need in life. They will remember your impact on them for the rest of their lives.  As the cyber coordinator, your organization is amazing. As a remediation teacher for 9th grade, you do an awesome job of encouraging students and helping them get caught up, and, along the way, you teach them the organizational and study skills they are lacking. In general, you plug the holes in our ship that we may not even know exist. Thank you for all the ways you help others to be more successful!

The Eagle Eye interviewed Ms. Barlett about being this week’s award winner:

Eagle Eye: Why did you go into education?

RB: A wise friend once told me that I talked about children, going back to school for a master’s degree, and traveling, so I should follow those pursuits if they gave me joy.  After getting my Master’s degree and doing some traveling, the opportunity was given to me to substitute teach, and I was hooked! I went back to school (again) for my teaching degree and have never looked back.  Teaching provides me the opportunity to pursue all of my passions in life!” 

EE: What makes Tyrone a good place to work?

RB:I was born (and mostly raised) here in Tyrone.  It is my hometown. My father taught woodshop here at Tyrone as well.  I love living in the same community as my students and seeing them at the store, church or sporting events.   Also, Mr. Yoder is very supportive and is always willing to listen to the ideas, concerns, and opinions that I have to support my students.  These are just some of the reasons why I love teaching at Tyrone High.

EE: What is your favorite memory at Tyrone?

RB:Choosing one would be so difficult.  I would have to say though that when a student slips up and calls me “mom” instead of Ms. Barlett,  it warms my heart like nothing else on earth!