919 ›› PERSONALITY PROFILE By G. CLEVELAND KILGORE 919 Magazine Writer
Currently, there are only 260 Kenan Fellows across North Carolina. Emily Jolley, who teaches social studies at Millbrook High School, is one of those in this exclusive program. “For my Fellowship, I partnered with North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction to deliver professional development called ‘Let’s Measure Together’ to teachers involving North Carolina’s new final exams,” Jolley said. “The project has several parts. Many teachers feel disconnected from DPI and do not feel like their voices are being heard on how to best assess their students.” Jolley is working with two other DPI Kenan Fellows (Kari Haddy and Sue Deperno) to distribute the first statewide survey to all teachers who administered the new final exams last year. “We are collecting and analyzing the data to better inform DPI of the teachers’ experiences and suggestions for the final exams,” said Jolley, who is also creating assessment examples for high school social studies teachers to use in their classrooms, and planning and facilitating workshops for teachers to better understand the process. “Our mission is to give North Carolina teachers a voice on these new assessments and give DPI information they need about teacher attitudes, experiences, and suggestions for improvement.” Teachers selected in the Kenan Fellows Program engage in a year-long fellowship in partnership with university researchers and industry experts. The program provides opportunities for development and advancement inspiring educators to drive innovation in North Carolina public schools. Key components of the fellowships are a five-week summer research experience with a mentor in a local workplace and two weeks of professional development. From this experience, Fellows create innovative lessons for students and professional development workshops for their colleagues. Jolley – who graduated from UNCChapel Hill, achieved her Masters at Wake Forest University, and was a James Madison Memorial Graduate Fellow at Georgetown University – has taught at MHS for three years, and also works as a curriculum writer 12
919 Magazine NR
A Passion for Teaching
Millbrook High’s Emily Jolley Leads Testing Effort In Kenan Fellows Program
Photos by A Photographic Memory by Steffanie
Emily Jolley Profile AGE: 28 PROFESSION: Millbrook High School social studies teacher RESIDENCE: North Raleigh EDUCATION: UNC-Chapel Hill (NC Teaching Fellow); Wake Forest University (Masters in Education); Georgetown University (James Madison Memorial Graduate Fellow) FAMILY: Husband, James; expecting first child INTERESTS: Reading, Zumba, traveling
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December 2013 | January 2014