“I’ve been taken by ‘Let Them’ by Mel Robbins about accepting what you can’t change in other people,” she says.
“I’ve been taken by ‘Let Them’ by Mel Robbins about accepting what you can’t change in other people,” she says.
She believes that is sound advice — though she makes an exception when it comes to her four children. She limits their cellphone use to two hours a day. She says children face constant stimuli, which she believes has rewired their brains and contributed to mental health challenges — challenges she believes can be overcome.
She believes that is sound advice — though she makes an exception when it comes to her four children. She limits their cellphone use to two hours a day. She says children face constant stimuli, which she believes has rewired their brains and contributed to mental health challenges — challenges she believes can be overcome.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
During Black History Month, AFSA is posting profiles of some of our outstanding Black school leaders.
When she talks about her job as director of culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives for the Buffalo Public Schools, Dalphne Bell of the Buffalo Council of Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 10, reflects on “being a Black woman who didn’t grow up experiencing celebratory Black culture or any other cultural celebrations.” She adds, “It was Thanksgiving, and I only learned that the Pilgrims and everyone were having a nice meal.”
Born, raised and educated in Buffalo, Dalphne was greatly influenced by her parents — her mother a pediatric nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse. She felt destined to become a medical professional as well.
She loved science and research, but early in her medical studies, she discovered she became ill at the sight of blood. She switched to education and, by age 19, was a teacher’s assistant in Buffalo Public Schools.
She says her mother, who later became a math teacher and then an administrator, encouraged her to set the highest standards for herself. She also credits her education. She received a scholarship to the Park School of Buffalo and says it made a huge difference.
“There was an inquiry-based style of learning. They taught us how to solve problems. When I was 10, this really affected how I learned,” she says.
At Buffalo State University, then known as Buffalo State College, she met Dallas Bell and married him three years later at age 21. “I must have done something right because we have a successful marriage and he is my best friend,” she says. Their children — Alanna, 16; Austin, 14; Ava, 11; and Alivia, 5 — “are my motivation.”
Right out of college, Dalphne became an elementary classroom teacher in Buffalo Public Schools. She later served as a data coach, analyzing student data to determine where additional instruction was needed.
Before age 30, she became a district administrator, serving as supervisor of mathematics. A turning point came when she became involved in the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiative, which later became an independent department.
“The most powerful piece is that it is so personal and individual, it makes you feel like a valuable member of the learning community,” she says.
The district is highly diverse, with about 80% of students identifying as students of color. More than 90 languages are spoken. The district includes an international elementary school and an international high school.
The Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives program has been recognized statewide for...
