Ms. Rachel Kelsey

Hello, Timberwolves. I am so thrilled for my third year at Trailside! This year, I will be co-teaching in 6th grade English classes and teaching specialized reading to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. 

I grew up outside of Baltimore, I lived in Chicago for 6 years where I received my Bachelors degree and began my career, and by some stroke of luck, I landed in Loudoun County, where I am beyond fortunate to teach the brilliant minds of this community! I’ve been in Northern Virginia for about 3 years and found Trailside in my second year, where my pursuit to become an educator really started to take shape. Prior to my experience at Trailside, I was taking jobs for the sole purpose of saving money to acquire a Masters of Special Education (which I am still working on) because becoming an educator has been a dream for quite some time! This summer, I (very proudly) became a certified Orton-Gilligham teacher. Structured literacy is my jam. Reading is very complicated, and having the tools to help students navigate all the components of reading is so special to me. Throughout my role as a teacher, I have found that the most rewarding experiences are when students develop the confidence and fearlessness to approach challenging tasks and help each other out along the way. A collaborative classroom is a medley of all of our strengths. This is the kind of classroom I strive to cultivate! 

Outside of teaching, I love to read (go figure), binge tv shows, hike, and travel. I can't wait to get to know all of you! It is going to be a great year!