Bart founded Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Inc., (an educational nonprofit organization) in 2003. He currently serves as President, CEO, and Board Chair. He lives in Chapin, South Carolina, and is happily married to Alice Teal, his wife of 42 years. They have two children of whom they are extremely proud. Both are Ivy League graduates - Joann O’Connell, Wharton; and Bart Teal, Jr., Columbia.  Three grandchildren bring much joy to their lives. As a member of Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church, Bart has taught Sunday School, speaks on the life of Martin Luther, and is a former church councilman. He is extremely dedicated to family ideals, philosophies, and principles.

Bart frequently speaks to international audiences about creating schools of excellence for children around the world and promoting world peace. He was recently honored by The Experimental High School attached to Beijing Normal University with the Confucius Award (China’s top award for educators) for his work with schools and students on world peace. Bart has 42 years of combined experience as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and educational consultant. He has used innovative educational practices in his methodologies since the early 1970's including thematic units, critical thinking skills, integrated curriculum, and the involvement of parents in their children’s education.  As coach of a high school basketball team,  he led players to win two state championships and five conference championships. His devotion to children and education are evident through his many continued successes. Bart and Alice’s most recent project for children is their world peace initiative that was inaugurated at the Blue Ribbon Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and will receive special emphasis at Disney World in December of 2009.

Through his involvement with the former National Blue Ribbon Schools program, Bart has developed an innovative school improvement plan using the application and scoring guidelines as a blueprint and focusing on the student, with the prime objective being success for all students. This time sensitive school improvement process involves the entire learning community - students, parents, teachers, administrators, support staff and community members. The Blueprint for Excellence assessment provides schools with a tool for improvement as well as recognition as a Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School. Schools across the nation are becoming national models by using the Blueprint for Excellence and creating an appropriate atmosphere for everyone working together (teamwork including schools, parents, community and business leaders). This is accomplished through the orchestrated sharing of information, visiting each other's model practices, studying and implementing best practices, and attendance and presentation at the annual Blue Ribbon Schools Blueprint for Excellence Conference. According to Craig Martin, Principal of Coolidge Middle School in Reading, Massachusetts, “Bart Teal is a true visionary in the field of education. His passion for helping all schools to better serve their students comes directly from his deep love and commitment to children. His energy and leadership have inspired our school, and the Blue Ribbon conferences have provided us with the path to the school we've become today. Bart Teal and the Blue Ribbon organization have helped us examine all the integral elements of a successful school, and they have also provided us the inspiration and ideas to implement so many initiatives that have made a real difference in the lives of our students and families.”  Bart's dedication and resiliency have proven instrumental in leading schools to the honor of Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School, with the numbers awarded increasing each year.

Bart has a growing ambition to recognize successful educational efforts and schools through this national school improvement movement. Bart sees this as a viable option through identifying Blue Ribbon Lighthouse Schools, establishing model programs, benefiting from current networks and access to information, using the wealth of ideas and practices from exemplary schools, and establishing specialty initiatives to address specific educational needs and expectations. These educational practices have been shared through the annual Blue Ribbon Blueprint for Excellence Conference and will be expanded through the addition of national institutes that will showcase excellence in education for local areas across America. Thus, all students are provided with increased opportunities for success. Kathy Howard, former South Carolina Administrator of the Year, states: “Bart Teal is an invaluable resource to all schools aspiring to become recognized. His insight and expertise are unmatched and his willingness to share is admirable. The recognition he would bring to schools would be unparalleled in a day of growing negativity toward education, a shining light where students would be the real winners.”  After all, aren't the children what we are all about?