Faculty Feature: June Beale, Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Dean of Students
June Beale is the Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Dean of Students at Rabun Gap. She has been a long time faculty member and an essential part of the school.
June Beale, Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Dean of Students at Rabun Gap, has been a fixture of the community for the past 30 years. Ms. Beale is a native of Athens, GA and has a deep love for all things Georgia Bulldogs. She is a graduate of North Georgia College and State University’s Nursing Program and is a licensed, registered nurse. She and her husband, Gary, moved here when Ms. Beale was hired as a dorm parent for Bellingrath dorm in 1988. Since then, she has worn many different hats among which have been dorm parent, school nurse, and Dean of Students. She and Gary raised three daughters here - Brittney, Courtney, and Tiffany - and have five grandchildren: Caroline ‘31 (who attends kindergarten at the Lower School), Thomas, George, Jackson, and Cael. She has and continues to be one of the people who make Rabun Gap the incredible school that it is.
Why did you decide to work at Rabun Gap instead of continuing in nursing? Well, funny story: in high school, I was torn between pursuing nursing or education. I chose nursing and was the school nurse here at Rabun Gap for many years. When a position in the student life office opened up in 2005, I was asked to throw my name in the hat. It has been a wonderful mix of both my passions.
What is your funniest or best memory from Rabun Gap? I have so many great memories of Rabun Gap. Once, when the student health center was still on the hill and I was the school nurse, I was making a bagel in a toaster and it burned which created some smoke and a terrible smell. The fire alarms went off and I was so embarrassed because I thought the whole school was evacuated because of me! When I joined a group outside, I was relieved when I realized the alarms were a planned drill!
What were you like in high school? I was a bookworm in high school.
How many years have you worked here at the school and what are the different roles you have held? I lost count last year, thinking it was year 29 until I was told it was year 30. I came to Rabun Gap as a dorm parent in 1988 working in Bellingrath dorm. Bellingrath housed girls at the time. Our middle daughter, Courtney, came home from the hospital to our home in the dorm. Courtney now lives at the school again and is married to Mr. Ledford, who teaches in the middle school and coaches wrestling. They lived in Bellingrath and brought their son, Jackson, home from the hospital to their home in the same dorm!
Two years after I arrived, the school nurse retired and I was asked to move into that position. I was the school nurse from 1990 until 2005 when I moved into the student life office.
What inspires you?
Hands down, my faith, my family, and our students inspire me. Our students are the best part of our school.
What interests do you pursue outside of work?
I enjoy reading, decorating, boating and being a grandmother!
What has Rabun Gap meant to your family?
Rabun Gap has meant so much to my family. My husband and I have been blessed to raise our children here; they still call this place home.
Our oldest daughter recently had the opportunity to move back to the county. Her husband, who is a naval officer, is attending graduate school at Clemson. They chose to live here so our granddaughter could attend Rabun Gap. Our middle daughter coaches middle school volleyball. Our youngest daughter works for our own Sage dining part-time while she is attending culinary school. Next year, our hope is that our oldest grandsons will be in preschool here at the Lower School. If they are in the same classroom, look out!
What do you think makes Rabun Gap special?
Our mission and diversity makes Rabun Gap unique.
What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone?
If I had stayed in nursing, I might have pursued becoming a nurse midwife.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
.png){kind=logo}
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
