Dr. Denise Brewer named chair of Appalachian’s Department of Family and Child Studies

View larger image — Dr. Denise Brewer, associate professor in and chair of Appalachian’s Department of Family and Child Studies. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“I am honored to serve as FCS chair and excited about the department’s many future opportunities.”

Dr. Denise Brewer, Department of Family and Child Studies chair

By Heather Brandon

Posted June 8, 2018 at 9:31 a.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Denise Brewer has been named chair of the Department of Family and Child Studies (FCS) in Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education (RCOE). Her appointment began in May.

Brewer earned a Ph.D. in special education with a focus in early childhood from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an M.Ed. in early intervention and family support from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition, she is an alumna of the department she now chairs, earning a B.S. in birth through kindergarten from Appalachian. Brewer also holds a North Carolina teaching licensure in birth through kindergarten.

“I am honored to serve as FCS chair and excited about the department’s many future opportunities,” Brewer said.

She joined the RCOE faculty in 2004 as a lecturer and was promoted to assistant professor in 2006 and associate professor in 2013. She has served as interim department chair since 2016.

Prior to coming to Appalachian, Brewer was an educational specialist and a developmental disabilities specialist with Mecklenburg County Infant/Toddler/Preschool Services, as well as an assistive technology contact for Mecklenburg County with the Assistive Technology Resource Center.

She is the author or co-author of numerous publications in peer-reviewed, professional journals and a regular presenter at regional, national and international conferences. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Division of Early Childhood (DEC), and served as a board member for the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (2006–08) and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte (1997–99).

Brewer actively engages in service to the university and the community. She currently serves on the RCOE Core Revision Committee and as a faculty transfer mentor. She is also the faculty advisor for the Appalachian chapter of the Alpha Phi fraternity. Brewer serves or has served on community task forces and councils with a focus on early childhood education.

Her research interests include authentic assessment in children from birth through age 5; developmentally appropriate practices for young children; individualized family service plans (IFSP) and individualized education plans (IEP); and working with families.

About the department, Brewer said, “We just completed an overhaul of both the child development and birth-kindergarten plans of study that will be implemented in the fall of 2018.”

She added that reviews of this kind keep the programs up to date with best practices and expand course selections for students. She also commented on the Lucy Brock Child Development Laboratory School (LBCDLS), which is operated by the Department of Family and Child Studies.

“The department’s vision for the Lucy Brock CDLS is for it to be a place where teachers and administrators from across the state can engage in community-based, experiential learning about current, research-based practices for working with young children and their families,” she said.

Lucy Brock Child Development Laboratory

The Lucy Brock Child Development Laboratory (LBCDL) at Appalachian State University, operated by the Reich College of Education’s Department of Child Development, Literacy and Special Education, serves as a professional development site for individuals planning to work with young children. As a university lab intended to provide the highest quality education and care for regional children, the program staff model evidence-based practices in the field of early childhood education and apply innovative approaches that contribute to new definitions of recommended practice. Learn more at https://lucybrock.appstate.edu.

About the Reich College of Education

Appalachian State University offers one of the largest undergraduate teacher preparation programs in North Carolina, graduating about 500 teachers a year. The Reich College of Education enrolls more than 2,000 students in its bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degree programs, with offerings that span multiple fields — from teacher preparation, counseling, and therapy, to higher education, school and student affairs administration, library science, educational leadership and more. With over 10,000 alumni employed in North Carolina public schools, there is at least one Reich College graduate in every county in the state. Learn more at https://rcoe.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.