This article is part of a series of profiles about each finalist for Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ 2024 Citywide Teacher of the Year.

Jessica Bradford’s parents were teachers, and she grew up helping them set up their classrooms and design bulletin boards.

Bradford has been with VBCPS for more than six years, and a teacher for more than 13 years. She became a National Board-Certified Teacher in 2021. During her time at Pembroke, Bradford has served on the Instructional Leadership Team and as the Trauma Action Team Lead for two years.

“Teaching is no longer about delivering content but instead we are partnering with students on a journey of discovery,” Bradford said.

From greeting children outside at the bus loop to mentoring children with behavior issues, Bradford’s positive, can-do attitude instills confidence in students and her fellow teachers at Pembroke Elementary, according to Principal Ryan Goldburg.

“She is able to successfully meet the educational and emotional needs of not only the gifted learners, but all learners,” Goldburg said. “As a teacher leader and building coach, she has an ability to form relationships with teachers and push teachers to take risks with their instruction outside of their comfort zone. She also has an exemplary teaching style, in which students are consistently engaged and are able to make incredible gains.”

Last year Bradford worked with Goldburg to create an Innovation Station, a classroom set up for content-learning experiences such as electromagnet investigations and scientific experiments with matter.

“We want the Innovation Station to instill a sense of wonder within the students and we also want the students to feel excited about science,” Bradford said. “Sometimes that means just taking them out of their regular classrooms and providing them time to explore in a new space.”

Bradford also made a positive impact when she taught at Thalia Elementary, according to Principal Crystal Wilkerson.

“Students were engaged and involved in her class, and she built a solid rapport with them,” Wilkerson said.

Bradford visits her students’ games and performances whenever she cans and talk with them at school about their interests and hobbies.

“Last year, a fifth grader shared how he loved to write stories,” she said. “Every week, I would ask him for an update about how his chapter book was going. I could see the student light up as he told me what he was working on next.”