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Bice recalls his start in education
By Miranda Mattheis
While Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Tommy Bice is just weeks away from taking a new step in his education career, he reflects on how he actually began.
When Bice graduated from Benjamin Russell High School in 1973, he went to Auburn to study textile engineering. He was on a four-year scholarship from Avondale Mills.
"After one year I decided I wanted to be a teacher," Bice said. "I lost the scholarship because I changed, but I knew it was the right thing to do."
Bice said teachers were always some of the most influential people in his life, and that was one reason he wanted to go into education.
"I love teaching and I love learning," Bice said.
In 1975, during Bice's time at Auburn, he got a summer job at Camp ASCCA.
"I fell in love with working with kids with multiple handicaps," Bice said.
In 1977, he started teaching at the Alabama School for the Blind in Talladega. He learned Braille at night so he could teach the children. He also worked at the School for the Deaf and learned sign language so he could teach.
"My first four years were spent learning two new languages," Bice said.
Then Bice went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he completed his master's degree in visual impairments.
Upon completion of his master's degree, he went back to Auburn for four more years to earn his doctorate.
While working on his doctorate, he was a graduate teaching assistant. He also served an 11 county area where he worked with children who were both deaf and blind.
He said he enjoyed working with the parents and helping them make communication breakthroughs with their children.
"There's no sensory input other than touch," he said. "Even the smallest gain was the biggest breakthrough."
He worked with those children until he graduated and went to work for the Department for Mental Health.
Bice started a program for children with severe autism and opened a center in Birmingham for deaf and blind preschoolers and adults.
He then became director of the Allan Cott School in Birmingham, a school for autistic children.
"This was in the late '80s when autism wasn't as prevalent as it is today," Bice said. "It was a very therapeutic experience."
While in Birmingham, he met his wife, Nancy, who was working with a camp for juvenile delinquent boys.
He left Allan Cott and opened an alternative school in Birmingham for inner city youth with behavior problems.
"It was an unbelievably great experience," Bice said.
He said he learned a lot working with those children, because even though they had behavior problems, they were all still children at heart.
"They are a product of their environment," Bice said. "Somewhere in there, there's still a kid."
When he and his wife had their first son, they decided they wanted to raise their children in a more hometown environment and made the decision to move back to Alexander City.
"We just kind of took a leap of faith," Bice said. "We knew we wanted to be here."
He ended up with a job in Coosa County where he administered psychological and educational testing.
After working in Coosa County, he got a position as the director of the vocational center with the Alexander City school system.
When the Benjamin Russell High School principal resigned, Bice was appointed interim principal and then was named the official principal. He held that position for five years.
"That was the best job I ever had or will ever have in my life without exception," he said.
He said he enjoyed the daily relationship with people and getting to know the children beyond the classroom.
"I can't begin to explain how rewarding that was," Bice said. "I hang on to those memories of such a great time."
He said every year graduation was emotional for him.
"I honestly felt like those were my kids who were leaving," he said.
When the position of superintendent came open, Bice applied.
"I was very honored that the school board saw it fit for me to provide leadership for the school system," he said.
However, during Bice's first year as superintendent, he said he had withdrawals from being principal at the high school. Bice said the adjustment was difficult for him.
"I was used to non-stop action," Bice said.
He said switching from student issues to adult issues was a difficult transition.
"It took about a year to really get a grasp on what I was supposed to be doing," he said. "I regretted it but I knew I couldn't go back."
After a year, Bice adjusted to the job and came to enjoy it.
"I'm a firm believe that you don't end up anywhere by accident," he said. "I've learned to really enjoy it. I love what I'm doing."
The next step in Bice's career will begin June 1 when he takes the position of deputy superintendent for the Alabama Board of Education.
While he will be working in Montgomery, Bice and his family will remain in Alexander City.
He has three sons, Andrew, Bennett, and Cambron, who are all enrolled in Alexander City Schools. He said he will always be involved with the Alexander City school system.
When Bice graduated from Benjamin Russell High School in 1973, he went to Auburn to study textile engineering. He was on a four-year scholarship from Avondale Mills.
"After one year I decided I wanted to be a teacher," Bice said. "I lost the scholarship because I changed, but I knew it was the right thing to do."
Bice said teachers were always some of the most influential people in his life, and that was one reason he wanted to go into education.
"I love teaching and I love learning," Bice said.
In 1975, during Bice's time at Auburn, he got a summer job at Camp ASCCA.
"I fell in love with working with kids with multiple handicaps," Bice said.
In 1977, he started teaching at the Alabama School for the Blind in Talladega. He learned Braille at night so he could teach the children. He also worked at the School for the Deaf and learned sign language so he could teach.
"My first four years were spent learning two new languages," Bice said.
Then Bice went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he completed his master's degree in visual impairments.
Upon completion of his master's degree, he went back to Auburn for four more years to earn his doctorate.
While working on his doctorate, he was a graduate teaching assistant. He also served an 11 county area where he worked with children who were both deaf and blind.
He said he enjoyed working with the parents and helping them make communication breakthroughs with their children.
"There's no sensory input other than touch," he said. "Even the smallest gain was the biggest breakthrough."
He worked with those children until he graduated and went to work for the Department for Mental Health.
Bice started a program for children with severe autism and opened a center in Birmingham for deaf and blind preschoolers and adults.
He then became director of the Allan Cott School in Birmingham, a school for autistic children.
"This was in the late '80s when autism wasn't as prevalent as it is today," Bice said. "It was a very therapeutic experience."
While in Birmingham, he met his wife, Nancy, who was working with a camp for juvenile delinquent boys.
He left Allan Cott and opened an alternative school in Birmingham for inner city youth with behavior problems.
"It was an unbelievably great experience," Bice said.
He said he learned a lot working with those children, because even though they had behavior problems, they were all still children at heart.
"They are a product of their environment," Bice said. "Somewhere in there, there's still a kid."
When he and his wife had their first son, they decided they wanted to raise their children in a more hometown environment and made the decision to move back to Alexander City.
"We just kind of took a leap of faith," Bice said. "We knew we wanted to be here."
He ended up with a job in Coosa County where he administered psychological and educational testing.
After working in Coosa County, he got a position as the director of the vocational center with the Alexander City school system.
When the Benjamin Russell High School principal resigned, Bice was appointed interim principal and then was named the official principal. He held that position for five years.
"That was the best job I ever had or will ever have in my life without exception," he said.
He said he enjoyed the daily relationship with people and getting to know the children beyond the classroom.
"I can't begin to explain how rewarding that was," Bice said. "I hang on to those memories of such a great time."
He said every year graduation was emotional for him.
"I honestly felt like those were my kids who were leaving," he said.
When the position of superintendent came open, Bice applied.
"I was very honored that the school board saw it fit for me to provide leadership for the school system," he said.
However, during Bice's first year as superintendent, he said he had withdrawals from being principal at the high school. Bice said the adjustment was difficult for him.
"I was used to non-stop action," Bice said.
He said switching from student issues to adult issues was a difficult transition.
"It took about a year to really get a grasp on what I was supposed to be doing," he said. "I regretted it but I knew I couldn't go back."
After a year, Bice adjusted to the job and came to enjoy it.
"I'm a firm believe that you don't end up anywhere by accident," he said. "I've learned to really enjoy it. I love what I'm doing."
The next step in Bice's career will begin June 1 when he takes the position of deputy superintendent for the Alabama Board of Education.
While he will be working in Montgomery, Bice and his family will remain in Alexander City.
He has three sons, Andrew, Bennett, and Cambron, who are all enrolled in Alexander City Schools. He said he will always be involved with the Alexander City school system.
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