Featured Friday: Bill Rothe, Head of Middle School

Bill Rothe leads the Middle School as the Head of Middle School. He joined the Rabun Gap faculty in 2018.

Mr. Rothe has a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Salisbury University and a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University. He came to Rabun Gap with nearly two decades of dedication to middle school education through coaching, teaching, and advising. He is passionate about leading adolescents to help them reach their full potential. He has had experience teaching in both public and private education.

Mr. Rothe served for six years in the US Army as a Quartermaster Officer and has served in operations in Somalia and Haiti. 

Mr. Rothe enjoys lacrosse and is a lacrosse coach at Rabun Gap.

Originally from Severn, Maryland, Mr. Rothe now lives on campus with his wife Melissa and their two children - Bryce ‘27 and Morgan. He enjoys being outdoors, driving tractors, and gardening.

 

Where are you from? 

I grew up in a Navy family so I have lived all over the world, but our family calls Maryland home as this is where I graduated from high school and college.

 

Tell us about your family. What is it like working at the same school that your children attend? 

I am a very lucky husband and father.  My wonderful wife, Melissa, shares the same passion for education that I do and looks forward to teaching again once our daughter, Morgan is ready to go to preschool in a few years.  My son Bryce ‘27 is a great role model for his younger sister and I look forward to having him in the middle school next year. 

 

It is a joy to have my children in the same school that I work at. I appreciated the ability to see them in formal and informal moments of the school day and happy that they know what I do for students on a daily basis.

 

I chose Rabun Gap for the great diversity it offers educators and students and the peaceful quality of life that rural northeast Georgia provides families.  I started working at Rabun Gap in 2018 and have loved every minute of my time here with my family.   

 

Prior to arriving at Rabun Gap, I was leading a middle school in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

Rabun Gap is special for me because the entire community feels like an extended family. I love the fact that my children have so many connections to people from such diverse and interesting backgrounds and who care deeply about humankind. 

 

Middle School students are energetic learners. I appreciate the authentic joy of learning they bring to school each day. I love their willingness to try new things and to learn from mistakes. Middle school is a dynamic time of life for adolescents and I have enjoyed watching how they grow and mature during their time in middle school. 

 

I decided to get into education during my last year serving in the Army. I took on a teaching role at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio to teach juniors about the challenges and opportunities the Army provides young leaders. It was my first experience teaching and I enjoyed the opportunity to mentor and grow future leaders as well as give back to a great organization that provides a great start in the workplace for college graduates. Like many of my colleagues in education, my decision to get into education was an effort to give back to a community that I appreciated.   

 

My educational philosophy is based on experiences. In simple terms, if the teacher provides amazing learning experiences for children, great learning will come from those experiences and children will likely retain that information and grow.  Surprisingly, failing is also part of my educational philosophy because every great leader has failed and learned from their mistakes and the power in this moment of learning makes people stronger. Great learning can come from moments of failure. In middle school, I anticipate these moments and embrace them as teachable moments that make students better.

 

What were you like in middle school? 

When I was in middle school, I was quietly competitive in most things. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in athletics and worked hard to earn good grades, but I was never a straight-A student. I loved the outdoors and exploring my neighborhood with friends.

 

How many years of experience do you have in education?  

I think next year marks my second decade in only teaching middle school students. 

 

What is your favorite memory from the time you have worked here so far? 

My favorite memory from the time I arrived here was the day I met Janie Owens. She is a great coworker and friend and I am so grateful for her helping me in my role here at the middle school.  Janie is by far the most positive person I have ever met. 

 

What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone? 

One surprising thing about me is that I jumped out of a military cargo plane five times when I was a junior in college to earn an Army airborne patch. It was by far the most intimidating moment of my life.