Heather Bewley Named ExCEL Award Finalist at LCHS
For Heather Bewley, teaching is more than a profession, it is a calling shaped by a lifetime of caring for others. Growing up with a younger sister with intellectual disabilities and later working in a group home for adults with disabilities during college, Bewley says those experiences made it clear that she was meant to serve students with special needs. Today, as a teacher at LaRue County High School, she works to ensure every student is prepared not just for graduation, but for a happy, healthy adulthood where they can contribute meaningfully to their community.
Bewley says LaRue County’s size allows educators to truly know their students. “Our district is small enough that we can focus on each individual student and their needs,” she said. Though she moved out of the district years ago and now commutes daily, she continues to choose LaRue County Schools because of its commitment to doing what is best for students. Being named an ExCEL Award finalist, she said, is especially meaningful because it affirms that her MSD students are seen and valued members of the school community.
LCHS Principal Whitney Choate says Bewley exemplifies excellence in both word and action. “Mrs. Bewley is a remarkable educator who consistently places student needs before her own,” Choate said. Beyond academics, Bewley helps students develop daily living skills, social confidence, and meaningful community connections. She actively supports inclusion through the B.O.S.S. (Buddies of Special Students) Club, creating opportunities for all students to build relationships and celebrate differences.
Her impact extends well beyond her classroom. Bewley has been instrumental in sustaining the Hawk Pantry initiative, ensuring families facing food insecurity have access to needed resources. She spends her lunch periods managing the share cart with students and often returns to campus during school breaks to restock supplies.
Fellow educator Nikki Waldeck describes Bewley as a “helper”, someone who steps up regardless of whether something falls within her job description. “She does not do these things for recognition,” Waldeck said. “Her love of community makes her approachable by students and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.”
Perhaps the clearest picture of Bewley’s impact comes from her students. They say she teaches them to work, uses sign language, reads books, cheers them on, helps with math, bakes cookies, dances, and even sits beside them during difficult moments.
In their words, and in the life she models daily, excellence is evident.
