Bailee Meekings has taught special education at her alma mater for the past seven years.
“I became a teacher to help others and make a difference,” she said.
The Cox High School teacher is a finalist for VBCPS citywide Teacher of the Year.
Meekings teaches students of a variety of abilities, including some who are nonverbal. Hearing a student say her name for the first time is a revelation, she said.
“It’s proof that love, patience and belief can carve a voice out of silence.”
Principal Melissa George said Meekings deserves the honor for creating lifechanging opportunities for students with disabilities.
“Her daily grace, fierce belief in students and tireless advocacy make her a dynamic educator and a true champion for all students.”
Assistant principal Carrie Pierce said Meekings ensures all students gain essential skills necessary to become independent and successful adults.
“Her initiatives have provided students with authentic, real-world job experiences,” she said.
Meekings manages the Cox High Coffee Shop. Her students and volunteers make, sell and deliver beverages and food items in the shop and throughout the school.
They learn to handle monetary transactions and customer service. Their hard work is rewarded with an “Employee of the Month” award.
Her students also prepare two staff luncheons during the year, learning the importance of teamwork, responsibility and community.
They gain employment experience through the Work Experience Program, coordinated by Meekings. Some head out daily to jobs at local businesses, including Food Lion and Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Meekings realized the need for a proper changing table for students with diapering needs and collaborated with the school’s construction technology class on design and construction.
In addition, she planned the first citywide Spring Fling. Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow (VTFT) students volunteered for the sensory-friendly prom-style event that celebrated inclusion, joy and community.
Meekings serves on numerous school committees and is coach of the gymnastics and competition cheer teams. She also sponsors the club Beach Buddies, pairing her students with others at the school to promote inclusion and friendship.
She has mentored teachers and provided volunteer opportunities for general education students. Several have been inspired to pursue special education as a career after graduation.
Army Lt. Col. Matthew Shirley and his wife Ashley praised their daughter’s teacher for her dedication to students’ educational journey and personal growth.
“Her care for students goes far beyond academics,” Lt. Col. Shirley said. “She nurtures confidence, life skills and independence, helping our daughter prepare not just for school, but for life.”
