Mount Airy City Schools is excited to announce that Bryan Hayes has been named 2023 Educator of the Year through The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce! He was surprised with this award at the 63rd Annual Meeting and Awards held on Thursday, January 25th at Cross Creek Country Club. Board of Education member Ben Cooke, and owner of Cooke Rentals who sponsored the award, introduced Mr. Hayes to the crowd. Hayes approached the podium to a standing ovation from the crowd and shared his thoughts with the audience.
When asked about the award he shared, “I am honored, truly honored, to receive this award. I’m not sure if I deserve it, but I’m very grateful. Thank you, Dr Morrison and MACS for the support and freedom to do what I believe is best for my students on a daily basis. Thank you to my colleagues and administration for their support and encouragement. Thank you to my students for all of your hard work.”
Hayes graduated from Appalachian State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Secondary Education. Hayes began his educational career in 2006 at North Brunswick High School and joined Mount Airy High School (MAHS) in 2014. Hayes was named the school’s 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year. He also served as the varsity men’s basketball coach for 5 years and earned the title Men’s Basketball Northwest Coach of the Year in 2020. He is currently teaching AP Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus. He is married to Alex and they have two children, Ledger and Dutton.
Hayes has also completed the extensive five-year North Carolina High School Mathematics Master Teacher Fellows Program. This program allowed him to deepen his understanding of mathematics and mathematics teaching while gaining experience leading and mentoring students and educators.
Assistant Principal Maggie Mitchell noted, “Hayes is an incredibly dynamic, thoughtful, and prepared teacher who insists on rigor in his classroom. He has an insightful way of knowing what concepts will cause students difficulty and teaches in a way that addresses those misconceptions before they even have a chance to develop. Mr. Hayes is known for having extremely high expectations, but students want to work hard for him because they know he can help them achieve success.”
Hayes has a keen ability to understand the needs of students and the way in which he works with them has proven effective as 100% of his students scored 3 or above on recent advanced placement exams earning students attending a college in the UNC system credit for the course.
Principal Jason Dorsett shared, “Mr. Hayes is professional, hard-working, sets and maintains high expectations, and leads an inviting classroom. Time spent with Mr. Hayes results in increased math abilities, an increase in character, and leadership development. He believes in supporting his colleagues, preparing students for next steps in life, and loves his family. On behalf of MAHS, we congratulate Mr. Hayes on this tremendous achievement.”