March Newsmaker: Marlene Bryant Scott

By FRAN FARRER

Marlene Scott’s passion for education, curriculum, and desire to make sure children know how to learn earned her our “March Newsmaker of the Month” honor. And that cannot top her advocacy for children with emotional, social and environmental needs – making sure they too can reach their desired goals. If you know her, you know she is truly worthy.

Scott entered the educational field with reminders from her dad: He told her, “You must work 10 times harder, and 10 times smarter than the next man; because you’re a Black female living in a man’s world, you need to learn to be independent. And that, she has done.

Her first appointment was in the Catawba County School System serving Catawba Middle School where she served for 4 years, and was later drafted by the Iredell Statesville School System where she has served 19 years at East Middle, Statesville High, Troutman Middle, West Middle, and Iredell High as Assistant Principal. In addition, she served as principal for 3 years in the Allegany County Schools at Sparta Elementary from 2011 to 2014.

A jewel to have at any school, Scott speaks fluent Spanish and is an aid in conversations with students not fully fluent English speaking.

Scott has coached a plethora of educators in Iredell County that have landed principal assignments, she has applied ended up as finalist, yet never offered an appointment. She continues because she can see her instructions paying off in those she’s coached. Following her dad’s instructions, she will continue to follow her passion to assist all children in their path to success.

Civically engaged, Scott serves as secretary for the Statesville Branch NAACP and has served on the Scholarship Committee and Chair of the Education Committee, has been a member of the Iredell Statesville Crosby School Board, now volunteers; former member of NCAE, and much more.

At Mitchell Community College, Scott has hosted training culture conferences in diversity for Statesville Iredell teachers, and has done district-wide training on continuous employment for over five years.

In her free time Marlene Scott enjoys mountain trips, reading, and as she shared, “spending time with my hubby.”

Scott is a native of rural Sparta, North Carolina and made history as the only Black girl to graduate from Allegany High School in 1989. She received her undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and her Master’s degree in Education from Grand Canyon University in 2010.

Marlene and husband Todd Scott, Sr. will celebrate their 8th anniversary in July; together they have two children, Hanna Smith and Todd Scott, Jr. Marlene attends her childhood church, Faith Tabernacle Holy Church in Galax, Virginia where she was active as youth secretary, young adult secretary, church secretary, and a member of the choir and usher boards.

Join us in celebrating Marlene Bryant Scott.