About Me

I'm a teacher, former lawyer, and former journalist. I have cut and pasted my resume below: Jes Beard Education: Graduate Certificate 2018 San Juan College, Alternative Licensure Program; JD 1981 University of San Diego Law School; BA 1978 Indiana University, Journalism & Economics double major, Anthropology minor. License: Tennessee: Practitioner License #000575213, Interventionist K-12, valid to August 31, 2023. New Mexico: Level 1, Special Education K-12, license #37805, valid to June 30, 2020. GACE exam status (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators): Professional Pedagogy Tests I and II; Middle Grades Language Arts, all passed June 16, 2012. Praxis exam status: English Language, Literature, Composition; Content Knowledge; PPST: Writing; World and U.S. History Content Knowledge, all passed March and April 30, 2011. Illinois Certification Testing System status: 155 Learning Behavior Specialist 1; 163 Special Education Curriculum; 300 Basic Skills, all passed February 11, 2012. Experience: Teacher/Case Manager, Aug 2015 -- June 2019, Special Education Teacher and Case Manager, roughly half the day teaching Study Skills (remedial reading in a Special Education setting) and half the day as an inclusion teacher assisting Special Education students in mainstream classes; Kirtland Middle School, Central Consolidated School District, Kirtland, NM; 505-947-4837. Case manager for 30-45 students a year, preparing IEP’s and leading IEP meetings for each student. Annual evaluations of Effective and Highly Effective; recognized by the New Mexico Public Education Department as Highly Effective; my student test scores on district quarterlies and PARCC exams improved more than the school and district averages. Also tutor in school’s after-school and Saturday morning tutoring programs Substitute Teacher, Nov. 2020 – present, Kelly Education Systems, Gordon County Public Schools, Calhoun, GA, all grades. Teacher, Nov 2013 -- Aug 2015, middle grades, Language Arts/Reading/Math/Social Studies (G.E.D. program); Bradshaw State Jail, Henderson, TX, Windham School District, supervisor principal Ron Roberts 918-698-6313. Teaching middle grades material for a G.E.D. program at a Texas men’s prison. Substitute Teacher, Feb 2010 -- Oct 2013. (Murray County Public Schools, Chatsworth, GA, supervisor Jennie Watson 706-517-0085 ; Gilmer County Public Schools, Elijay, GA, supervisor Julia Abercrombie 706-276-5000; Dalton City Schools, Dalton, GA, supervisor Mendy Woods, mendy.woods@dalton.k12.ga.us 706-876-4073; Fannin County Public Schools, Blue Ridge, GA, supervisor Cynthia Panter 706-632-3771.) Tutor, April 2013 – July 2017, Wyzant Tutoring, tutoring elementary thru law school students online and in person on a wide range of subjects. Project Legal Research, Sept 2009 -- Sept 2013, Autry Jones and other Chattanooga attorneys. Tutor, Dec 2011 -- August 2012, Hamilton & Harris Educational Consulting, Murray & Whitfield County schools, GA, supervisor Georgia Deakin 770-675-6215. Trial Attorney, 1991 -- 2009, solo practice, domestic/criminal/personal injury, Chattanooga, TN. Junior Achievement Volunteer, 1995 --97, Chattanooga schools, teaching free market concepts. Campaign Staff, 1992 and 1994 campaigns of Congressman Zach Wamp (TN, 3rd District). Assignments Desk Editor, 1988 -- 1991, WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, coordinating news coverage and staff of more than 35, #1 in market; supervisor Jim Church, now Regional Engineering Manager with the Sinclair Broadcast Group, jchurch@wciv.com. Reporter, Aug 1986 -- Nov 1988, KSPR-TV, Springfield, MO, supervisor Rick Willis, now retired, rwillis2@nc.rr.com. Reporter/Producer/Photographer, June - Aug 1986 (summer relief), WNYT-TV, Albany, NY. Lobbyist, Nov 1985 -- March 1986, Indiana legislature, supervisor Steve Lutz, 574-674-2638. Reporter, May 1984 -- July 1985, KGUN-TV, Tucson. Reporter, April 1982 -- April 1984, KAIT-TV, Jonesboro, AR (also shooting and editing). Announcer, Nov 1981 -- April 1982, WNDU-FM News, Notre Dame University, IN, part-time. Legal Researcher, Nov 1981 -- April 1982, Judge Robert Miller, St. Joseph County Superior Court in Indiana, for the book Indiana Evidence, published 1984. Store Security, Nov 1981 -- April 1982, J.C. Penney’s, Mishawaka, IN. Staff Member, spring 1981, Regulatory Law Reporter of the University of San Diego Law School. Research Assistant, spring 1981, Professor Bernie Siegan, University of San Diego Law School, for the book Economic Liberties and the Constitution, published 1981. Research Assistant, fall 1980, Professor John Winters, University of San Diego Law School, California property tax issues. Law Clerk, summer 1980, Appalachian Legal Defense Fund, Barbourville, KY. Torts Tutor, spring 1980, tutoring first year torts students, University of San Diego Law School. Environmental Law Intern, spring 1980, law firm of Wharton & Pogalis, San Diego. Assignments Desk Intern, Jan -- May 1980, KGTV San Diego News, ABC affiliate. Security Guard, Jan -- April 1979, armed night guard for bank & office building, San Diego. Reporter, Jan -- May 1978, WFIU-FM, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Opera Stage Crew, May -- Aug 1977, Indiana University Theater Department, Bloomington. Yard Crew, June -- Aug 1977, Wickes Lumber, Mishawaka, IN. Materials Handler, May -- August 1976, Baker Tire Recycling, South Bend, IN. Store Security, May -- Aug 1976, J.C. Penney’s, South Bend, IN. Quality Control, March -- Aug 1975, Kropp Forge Foundry, Cicero, IL. Editor, May -- Dec 1974, The Preface, student newspaper, Indiana University at South Bend. Security Guard, Nov 1973 -- June 1974, Indiana University at South Bend. Awards/Honors: New Mexico Public Education Department recognition as Highly Effective teacher, 2017-18. RTNDA Regional Spot News Award, 1988, best large market spot news story. Associated Press National Spot News Award, 1987, best spot news story in nation. Arizona Education Assn School Bell Award, 1985, best TV news story on public schools. AmJur Torts Award for scholastic excellence, 1979; Kaplan Merit Scholarship, 1978-1980. Current or Former Associations/Memberships: Investigative Reporters & Editors; American Bar Association; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Tennessee Bar Association; Tennessee Criminal Defense Lawyers; American Civil Liberties Union litigation committee for Chattanooga, TN; N.A.A.C.P. founding member of Bloomington, IN, chapter; Indiana Public Interest Group founding member, 1977; Chattanooga Trial Lawyers; Chattanooga Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA); Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) founding member of Chattanooga chapter. References: Melissa Culler, former assistant principal Kirtland Middle School, Kirtland, NM, Central Consolidated School District, 505-860-1798; mculler_5@msn.com April Simerson, former teacher at Kirtland Middle School (inclusion teacher in her class), Kirtland, NM, Central Consolidated School District, now interventionist for Ysleta Independent School District, El Paso, TX, 505-716-5011; asimerson@yisd.net Darlene Bekis, English teacher (inclusion teacher in her class), Kirtland Middle School, Kirtland, NM, Central Consolidated School District, 505-598-6114; bekid@centralschools.org Ron Roberts, former principal (supervisor), Windham School District, Bradshaw State Jail, Henderson, TX; retired, 16204 Belmont Ave, Lubbock, TX 79424; 918-698-6313; rjroberts@live.com Angelia Ragatz, former school counselor, Windham School District, Bradshaw State Jail; 304 Janet St, Chandler, TX 75758; 903-240-9261; angragatz@gmail.com Kathleen Dolan, retired, former fellow teacher with Windham School District, Bradshaw State Jail, 1815 S. Robertson Ave.,Tyler, TX 75701; 903-593-4963; kate.d@suddenlink.net Autry Jones, magistrate, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, 1221 East Main Street, Chattanooga, TN 37404; 423-209-5970 office; 423-667-7557 home; autryjones@epbfi.com Garry Robinson, retired, former IT Manager, KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA 71101; 318-222-5900 Cell; garryrobinson@outlook.com (former supervisor at KAIT-TV) Tracy Haynes, visiting professor/journalism, Savannah State University, 3219 College St., Savannah, GA 31404; 912-247-7141; haynest@savannahstate.edu (former co-worker at WTVC) Teaching Philosophy: Anyone who is not catatonic or in a persistent vegetative state can learn. The real question is how best to help them learn. While it is true that students don’t care what you know until they know that you care, helping students learn generally starts with interesting and involving them in the subject matter. Nearly everything else flows from interesting students in the material. Interested students make an effort to learn. They become engaged, are better behaved, and retain more. Yes, teachers also need to know the material, present it clearly, and have the patience to work with students of different abilities, identifying those having trouble and helping them while not boring the rest of the class with too much repetition, and to tell when students actually master material and are ready to move on. All this, and more, is important, but the most important is capturing the interest of students and maintaining that interest. Once that is done, the rest tends to fall into place.

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