Bridget Wortman

Bridget Wortman is a 1998 graduate of UNCW with a degree in Elementary Education. In 2004, Mrs. Wortman earned her National Board Certification and renewed again in 2014.  She is currently a first grade teacher at North Topsail Elementary School in Pender County, where she has worked her entire 16 year career.  Mrs. Wortman is a mentor teacher and the Site Coordinator for teacher interns at her school. In a constant effort to recruit and retain teachers, she developed a program to inform and empower new teachers to her school. This Mentor Council includes new teachers, veteran teachers and teacher assistants that collaborate on ideas and solve issues that new teachers face when coming into the profession, or even just transferring to a new school.  The Mentor Council has increased the overall retention rate in her school over the past 5 years.

Mrs. Wortman is currently serving as a Hope Street Group Fellow for the state of North Carolina.  Hope Street Group is a non-profit, nonpartisan group that was invited to come to NC to increase teacher’s voice. Appointed last year, she has been a part of statewide surveys, data collection, media groups and has mediated forums dealing with the concerns specific to teachers in the Exceptional Children’s programs.  The data that was collected in the fall of 2015 was successfully presented to DPI and changes are already taking place that will positively impact educators and the educational system in North Carolina.

Mrs. Wortman is a long time resident of North Carolina and enjoys living by the coast. She has a son who has recently entered law enforcement and a daughter who attends Topsail High School. Her husband is native to the area and is a Chief with the Camp Lejeune Fire Department.  They enjoy living in the Hampstead area and being a part of such a great community.