BIO
SCOTT BRICKER
Education Changemaker
PROFESSIONAL BIO
Scott Bricker is a passionate educator and lifelong learner whose goal is to change education for the better. By inspiring students and teachers alike to build relationships & reimagine what learning looks like in schools, he believes we create environments where everyone can thrive and find happiness & support....each and every day!
During his 20 years in high school classrooms, Scott inspired both, students to find the fun and curiosity in learning Math and teachers to rethink the structure and flow of their practice by leveraging the power of technology. Along the way, he coached every level of both Girls and Boys Basketball, advised countless clubs, and attended more sporting & performing arts events, school rallies, and dances than he could possibly count. Most recently he spent the last 8 of his 15 years at Santa Margarita Catholic HS (SMCHS) as the Director of Educational Technology, where he led the creation and full implementation of the school's Ed Tech Program. The school was recognized in each of those 8 years as a Microsoft Showcase School, a designation currently given to only 40 schools in the United States. His leadership on the successful union of teaching & learning best practices with effective technology integration revolutionized the school campus community and prepared them to thrive during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Scott is an experienced public speaker and trainer, having presented in front of thousands of teachers at conferences and professional development sessions all across the US on educational technology, mind brain education, effective teaching & assessment practices and much more. He loves sharing thought-provoking ideas to educators, inspiring them to reflect & focus on the "WHY" behind everything they do, while also valuing the power of building relationships with educators and students all-across the country and around the globe.
Scott is also currently the co-host of the "Live with US Microsoft EDU" vodcast (aka.ms/usmicrosoftedulive) and a co-host of The Teacher Connection (@TsConnectionEDU) and is an active leader in the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE) and Showcase School communities. He is also a Professional Learning Specialist for NCCE, specializing in training Microsoft Tools along with Blended Learning & Teaching techniques. He was a featured speaker at the 2020 NCCE Conference and is a regular on the national conference circuit, including multiple appearances at TCEA, FETC, NCEA, and others.
Born and raised in the San Diego area, Scott's venture into a lifelong career in education was inspired by his two favorite Math teachers: Mr. Rothery and Mr. Jensen, at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, AZ, after his family relocated there in the middle of high school. Through their creative approach to teaching and connecting with their students, and a consistent injection of humor and joy each and every day, those two educators made an impression on Scott and, along with mentorship from his high school basketball coach Tom Williamson, he knew a career as a teacher & coach was the perfect career path.
Shortly after graduating from the University of Arizona (Bear Down!), where he studied Math Education and finished with a degree in Journalism, Scott moved back to California to begin his journey at Apple Valley High School, where he led both the Journalism and Yearbook staffs for two years while also coaching the JV Boys Basketball team and working as the PA Announcer for Varsity Girls Basketball. He then moved to the Bay Area to work at Serra High School (San Mateo) where he took over the AP Calculus Program, directed the Summer Kids Camp, and was a Varsity Assistant Coach on the team that finished State-Runner-Up in Division 1 in 2005.
In 2006, Scott relocated back to Southern California to work at SMCHS and settle back in closer to home. He met his wife Megan, now an Elementary School Principal, in 2009 and they were married in 2011 in Palm Desert, CA. They live in Mission Viejo with their two amazing, hilarious boys: Carter (7) and Graycen (3).