HCPSSAnthony Bell, Special Educator, Homewood Center
January 18th, 2017
Homewood Center Special Educator Anthony Bell describes himself as a “cycle breaker.” A Wilde Lake High School alumnus, Bell pushed himself through a winding, decades-long path from community college dropout to HCPSS custodian and now an aspiring assistant principal. As the first in his family to attend college, Bell is sure to emphasize to his students that “just because bad things happened to you, you can break the cycle.”
As a student, Bell didn’t take himself too seriously. With the help of his Wilde Lake football coach, he was accepted to a community college in New York. But when his girlfriend became pregnant, he ended up dropping out and taking on various jobs to support the family. They eventually moved back to Howard County for family support. Bell took on HCPSS night custodial work for financial stability. Then when his girlfriend left, he needed a day job as a single father.
What started out as a practical necessity turned into fulfilling a lifelong calling for education. With the support of his former Wilde Lake principal, he found a job as a Mount Hebron High School special education instructional assistant. To make ends meet he took on extra duties, such as Saturday school, but realized this was a short-term solution.
Bell returned to higher education through HCPSS’ tuition reimbursement program: first at Howard Community College then Coppin State University to earn his bachelor’s, and later McDaniel College for his master’s. He spent a total of 11 years working toward his degrees while he went from special education instructional assistant to teacher at Mount Hebron and ultimately at Homewood Center. He was recently appointed as co-instructional team leader for Gateway High School, one of Homewood’s programs that supports students who have difficulty functioning in traditional classroom settings.
Bell instantly felt connected to Homewood, explaining, “Once I walked into the building, I knew it would be an adventure and a perfect fit. It’s all about relationships. The staff members here are so flexible because we’re here to do what’s best for the kids.” In turn, Homewood Center Assistant Principal Christina Krabitz said Bell’s personal story inspires their students: “Bell has been through what some of our students and parents have been through. His story is motivating because if he can do it, then maybe they can.”
Bell describes himself as a “relationship person” and credits his great grandmother with instilling in him core values, such as treating everyone as equals. Krabitz sees these qualities in Bell as well, saying, “Bell has a natural way with people that brings immediate connection and trust. Students make growth, and parents become partners very easily with Bell as their case manager.” In fact Bell’s top strength is “woo,” a leadership quality enabling him to engage colleagues, students and families alike.
Bell encourages everyone, including his students, daughter and colleagues, to think big. Bell said, “I tell them it won’t be easy, but you have to keep the big picture, persevere and move forward in life.” He continued, “In Howard County schools, if you work hard, and it’s something you want, the support is there for you. You need to put yourself out there and take advantage of the opportunities.” In addition to tuition reimbursement, Bell has proactively participated in many HCPSS professional development offerings, including the leadership cohort program and case studies discussions with Superintendent Renee A. Foose.
Bell’s knack for leadership can be seen both in and out of the classroom. For example, he helped implement and now runs a Homewood intervention program for high risk kids with behavioral issues that encourages students to take ownership of their own learning. As a former athlete, he enjoys giving back and mentoring students as an award-winning track & field and basketball coach at Mount Hebron High School. He was also the first African-American male to serve on the Howard County Education Association’s board, and represented the state on the National Education Association, Resolutions Committee.