| Bruce Bean is the new vice principal for the Carbon High Dinos. |
After spending the past few years working toward his master’s degree, Bruce Bean was planning on moving into administration, just not quite this fast. After 20 years of teaching, all here in Price, he is hanging up his lesson plans and coaching duties and stepping into the new role of Carbon High vice principal.
Bean began his teaching career in 1987 at Mont Harmon. He began coaching as well and stayed there for seven years before moving on to Carbon. He loved teaching at the junior high level but new opportunities awaited.
At Carbon he began teaching biology and has been instucting that as well as exercise science, lifestyles and physical education.
He attended college at Ricks and Utah State. Recently he has been driving to Murray every Thursday for the past two years to get his masters degree from the University of Phoenix. The drive and the commitment was a big reason he stepped down from coaching the girls basketball team a year ago. With his new assignment he also had to turn over the reins of the girl’s volleyball team.
“It was hard to give up coaching, both a year ago with basketball and especially now, with the talented core of girl’s on this year’s volleyball team,” he divulged. “But harder than that was packing up my classroom, knowing I wasn’t going to teach this year.” He also went on to say that in all his years of teaching, never once did he wake up and not want to be going to the classroom. He has enjoyed trying to make a difference in all the kids including the good, the bad and the indifferent ones. It was not a drudgery.
Despite the ambivalence to his changing roll, he is ready for a change. Not only in his job, but in the path Carbon High will be taking this year. With both a new principal and VP, the school will head in some fresh directions. “Change is good,” he commented. “Just like in coaching, change is what gets results.” He is looking forward to working hand in hand with new Principal Greg Stanfield to get the school year underway.
“It will be some long hours,” he said. “But after coaching three teams my family knows what to expect.” He will get the opportunity to watch his oldest son play football and basketball this season. Bean also has a 14 and an 11 year old.
With the support of his wife and family, he is ready to take on the challenges ahead. “My mother said that if you think change needs to be made, step up and be part of the solution. If not shut up.” Bean has stepped up.