My name is Mrs. Michelle Barrier and I am your child's 5th grade teacher for the 2023-2024 school year.

This will be my twenty-ninth year of teaching and my twentieth year here at Gamewell Elementary.

I was born in Morganton, NC and earned my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Appalachian State University.  I have taught 5th grade, 1st grade, 4th grade & I was a Literacy Specialist here at GES for 10 years.  I love teaching, reading, and camping.  I have a husband, a 12th grade son, two cats, and a dog. I enjoy going to the mountains and immensely dislike mayonnaise and scary movies.  My favorite color is yellow, and my favorite flowers are daises.

At the end of this school year, I will have worked in NC for 29 years and Caldwell County for 20 years as an elementary school teacher. I have taught 5th grade, 1st grade, worked as a Literacy Specialist for 10 years, and 4th grade. I will finish my public school teaching career this year in 5th grade."If you want to get better at reading, you have to practice reading." I remind my students of this truth all the time. To get better at anything, you must practice.For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I would make my little brother play school with me at home all the time. I started school when I was 3 years old, so when I retire in June 2024, I will have been in school (either as a student or a teacher) for 48 years!!! I really enjoy getting to know my students and learning what makes them unique. We learn every day together.Although I do not live in Caldwell County, there are places that I enjoy visiting in Caldwell County. There are lots of restaurants that I enjoy like Village Inn, 1841 Cafe, and Hannah's BBQ. I also love to see Caldwell's beautiful mountainous areas when I drive up Hwy321.