Alabama’s 2015-16 State Teacher of the Year Jennifer Brown began her 20thyear in education this year. She holds a degree in Secondary Science Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; she also earned a Master’s degree in Instructional Leadership at Montevallo University. Jennifer is passionate about positively impacting students, inquiry-based learning, hands-on science, and empowering teacher leaders. While serving as a science teacher at Vestavia Hills High School, she and a colleague co-founded “Leading by Learning,” a system of teacher-led instructional rounds designed to allow teachers the opportunity to observe, share, collaborate, and reflect with teachers of all subject areas throughout the school. During her tenure as Alabama’s State Teacher of the Year, she visited schools throughout the state, attended and presented at conferences, met the President and Vice President in Washington, D.C., attended International Space Camp with other state and international teachers of the year, represented Alabama’s teachers (on the field at halftime) at the 2016 Alabama vs Clemson National Championship game, spoke at legislative public hearings at the Alabama State House, and worked to form partnerships between Alabama legislators and educators. Currently, Jennifer Brown serves as the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction at Vestavia Hills High School. She visits classrooms every day in the hope that she
can positively impact the lives of both students and teachers.