Nancy Bellin leaves TCOE after 40 years; recalls 'openly cruel' class that inspired career

Nancy Bellin is officially retired after more than 40 years with the Tulare County Office of Education.

Bellin worked as the special events coordinator and was the driving force behind the Tulare County Spelling Bee contest, as well as the Poetry and Prose competition.

“Nancy Bellin is a jewel of an educator with boundless passion and energy,” said Superintendent Tim Hire, who oversees Tulare County Office of Education. “We have been blessed to have her at the Tulare County Office of Education for 42 years, where she touched the lives of generations of educators and students.”

Bellin grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, and currently lives in the home she grew up in along with her tuxedo cat Tex; however, it wasn’t always like this.

When she was a child, her family moved to Wisconsin following their release from an internment camp in 1945. When they moved, Bellin said she wasn’t welcome at her new school.

“There were no Asian families on the East coast. I was indeed a target in this third-grade classroom,” she said. “The children in the class were openly cruel.”

Her teacher, Mrs. Peck, came to her rescue and ultimately changed Bellin’s life.

She pointed out the similarities between the other students and Bellin, ending the brief lesson by saying, “I hope you can get Nancy to forgive your bad manners” to the rest of the class.

“This teacher turned my life around with a single, perfect, lesson. Mrs. Peck took me from being a child of ridicule to one of friendly interest,” Bellin said. “I decided that day that I wanted to be a teacher. I never veered from that goal and followed my passion.”

She eventually made her way back to Tulare and landed a job working with the Tulare County Office of Education where she stayed for over four decades. Although Bellin officially retired from her position in 1999, she eventually returned to education once again in 2000.

She spearheaded the Tulare County Spelling Bee for the last 23 years, as well as Poetry and Prose for more than 35 years – both programs growing exponentially year after year.

For example, the spelling bee is the largest in the United States while the Poetry and Prose event has grown from 60 students to more than 1,400.

"Her enormous enthusiasm for her job is matched by her creativity in making learning and performing fun for students," friend of Bellin, Pat Hillman said. "I think her special gift is her ability to make every competitor and each of her coworkers feel welcome and valued."

When the pandemic hit, Bellin, alongside the Tulare County Office of Education and the Visalia Times-Delta, opted to host the spelling bee virtually so students could still compete.

"What a positive educational experience," Hillman said. "The excitement for learning that Nancy has engendered with special events over her career is unmatched."

And although she looks back fondly at the virtual competition, it is this year’s spelling bee Bellin will remember the most. Hundreds of students competed at Rawhide’s Valley Strong Ballpark in the first-ever ballpark spelling bee.

“It all came together because of the incredible Teaming from multiple departments of our office, seamless partnership with the newspaper and amazing community support,” Bellin said. “For me, it was the Grand-Slam of our Bees.”

Scripps gifted Bellin an appreciation gift, congratulating her on her "next chapter."

Looking back at the Poetry and Prose event, Bellin recalled a moment when one student, who had a stutter, struggled to start his poem.

“He looked desperate and vulnerable,” she said. “I told him to look directly at me and that it would be alright if he wanted to try to sing his poem.”

And so, he did. He sang the start of his poem to Bellin and was able to recite the rest without issue.

“Teachers need to trust their instincts to draw upon all they know,” she said. “The impact a teacher can have on a student is enormous and lasting -- a serious responsibility.”

As much support as Bellin has shown Tulare students and the community over the years, her colleagues have reciprocated by showing up when she needed it most – Bellin is a cancer survivor.

“[O]ffice friends came and sat with me through the chemo and radiation treatments,” she said. “Staff and I exchanged funny emails about bad-hair and no-hair days.”

Bellin explained how coworkers moved schedules around to allow her to be flexible.

It is this kind of support, among a handful of other positives TCOE has provided Bellin, that has made leaving the industry for a second time that much more difficult.

“I can’t imagine what comes next in my life,” Bellin said. “I’m supposed to embrace change, but I never want things to change. And then change happens anyway, and then something exciting and vital emerges. I do wonder... What’s next?”

Lauren Jennings covers education and news for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow her on Twitter @lolojennings. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Nancy Bellin leaves TCOE after 40 years, recalls career in Tulare County