Spell Named Virtual Teacher Of The Year

By Daily Record of Dunn

Kristen Spell, a lifelong educator and Dunn resident, was named the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year by the North Carolina Virtual Public School, the state-run online class program. Spell will be formally recognized on Aug. 7, by the North Carolina State Board of Education in Raleigh.

The Virtual Public School Teacher of the Year award is one of the program’s highest honors, recognizing outstanding leadership, innovation and excellence in virtual teaching across the state. Spell teaches middle and high school science. She joined the program two and a half years ago and has quickly become a standout leader. She serves as a sixth-grade science course lead, a mentor teacher, and plays a key role in launching NCVPS’s new “In Real Time” (IRT) program, a live virtual learning experience for students who benefit from more synchronous support.

Born and raised in Clinton, Spell is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in middle grades science education. She taught eighth-grade science for five years at Hobbton Middle School, where she was named the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year, before spending four years teaching high school sciences at Harrells Christian Academy.

Her journey as an educator is marked by a passion for student success and a strong belief in the power of teacher leadership. Spell is a former North Carolina Teaching Fellow and serves as chaplain of the Alpha Pi chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary organization for women educators.

Outside of the virtual classroom, Spell and her husband, Justin, both ordained ministers with the North Carolina International Pentecostal Holiness Church, serve as youth pastors at The Journey Church in Dunn. The couple has been married 11 years and the Spells are raising their three sons in the Dunn area.

Kristen Spell is also known locally for her musical talents, including singing the National Anthem at a Durham Bulls game.

As Teacher of the Year, Spell will represent educators statewide through conference presentations, advocacy efforts and committee work — highlighting the impact and innovation of virtual instruction across North Carolina.