In August 2022, Principal Dr. Bryan Cutter toured visitors around the new STEM lab at Montgomery’s Dalraida Elementary. Cutter, now in his second year leading Dalraida, helped implement the lab—the first for elementary students in Montgomery Public Schools and the River Region—as a nontraditional classroom experience where students learn through hands-on play and teachers implement best practices. STEM now permeates every class and content area at Dalraida thanks to Cutter’s vision. Robotics and other activities give students early exposure to STEM careers, build collaboration and teamwork skills, which, Cutter hopes, will produce future engineers, scientists and mathematicians.
Cutter, who joined Dalraida one year into the pandemic, has seized the opportunity to create a safe learning environment that embraces technology. He engages and inspires students and colleagues to reach beyond expectations, focusing on providing exceptional instruction and making sure all around him excel. Cutter has established grade-level professional learning communities, coaches and evaluates teachers to support their professional growth, designed a schoolwide teacher mentor program, and uses data to drive instruction, identifying trends of success and areas of need. Cutter previously served as an elementary and middle school assistant principal, summer school principal, CTE director and music teacher. As a choral director, he passed on his passion for music to students as he led them to city and state recognition, frequent community performances and national competitions. Cutter has facilitated after-school reading and math programs and presented at state, national and international conferences on topics including student engagement, rigor and relevance, school culture and discipline.
A former student in Montgomery Public Schools himself, Cutter truly believes that building children’s confidence can change their lives. He is known as an excellent communicator who engages parents as partners in their children’s education. Throughout his career, Cutter has mentored young men, helping them make better life decisions, focus on academics and athletics, and become productive members of the community.
Cutter earned a bachelor’s in music education in 2009 from Alabama State University; education specialist and master’s degrees in music education in 2011 and 2013, respectively from Auburn University; a master’s in instructional leadership in 2014 from Alabama State University; and a Ph.D. in educational leadership, policy and law in 2019 from Alabama State University. He wrote his dissertation on middle school discipline policies and procedures in Alabama’s “Black Belt.”
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