1-2 Faculty
Selma Neel
First and Second Grade Homeroom Teacher
she/her
Selma is originally from the Asheville area, and loves living and teaching in our beautiful mountains. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from UNC Chapel Hill and 6 years of teaching experience in kindergarten and first grade. She has worked in public and private settings here in North Carolina as well as abroad. She became part of the Odyssey community in 2017, starting in the K/1st classroom and now teaching in the 1st/2nd classroom. She is thrilled to continue teaching 1st grade this year!
Outside of school, she likes to read, hike, sew, and paint. She takes any opportunity she can to share her interest in the arts with her students. She also loves to travel and explore different cultures and seeks to bring a multicultural perspective into the classroom.
Barbi Brittain
1-2 Homeroom Teacher
she/her
Barbi grew up in Houston, TX and moved to Western North Carolina 4 years ago with her husband and 5 year old twins, Willow and Jett. Barbi holds a Bachelors of Arts in English from Texas A&M University and a Masters in Curriculum from the University of Texas. She brings over 15 years of teaching experience ranging from Pre-K through 2nd grade in both public and private schools in Houston and in North Carolina. Barbi’s passion is inspiring learning through inquiry-based explorations, as well as through music, singing, and danging.
Barbi joined Odyssey Odyssey School in January 2021 and is thrilled to continue her teaching journey in the 1st and 2nd grade classroom. When she’s not planning lessons or playing along with her students, she and her family love to explore the mountains and waterfalls of the beautiful Western North Carolina region.
