Cathleen Beachboard

Brazilian jiu-jitsu fan Cathleen Beachboard is a new face in the English Department. She teaches a mix of grades nine and eleven. Her experience of having unsupportive teachers heavily impacted her, but her eighth grade teacher countered that trauma. This led her to teach eighth grade for 15 years. She then decided to come to high school, because her daughter is now an FHS student, and because she is doing research here.

Beachboard has also written two books about teaching. Her earlier book, Ten Keys to Student Empowerment, is “based [on] empowering students to take ownership and realize they can do more than they think they can.” The other, The School of Hope, is about “using hope psychology in the classroom so people feel confident, safe, and loved.”
She received her undergraduate degree from West Liberty University, got her masters in psychology, and is currently doing her dissertation at Liberty. Outside of school, Beachboard likes “doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu because I like cage match fighting.” She also likes knitting, and taking care of her seven children. When asked if she is enjoying her time at FHS, Beachboard said, “so far so good, I like it here!”