“I believe God led me to teaching when I needed a new direction in life,” shared Rachelle Rush, a resource teacher at Jubilee Elementary. “What started as a decision I made for my girls ended up becoming something I truly love for myself, too. I may have taken the long way to get here, but I know this is where I am supposed to be.”
Ms. Rush is in her second year of teaching fifth- and sixth-grade special education students in a resource setting. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Alabama and is currently in graduate school, working toward her Educational Specialist degree at the University of West Alabama. Becoming a teacher was never part of her original plan. After 14 years in the compounding pharmacy field, however, she knew she was ready for a change.
“When I first decided to become a teacher, I thought I would teach in a general education classroom. However, I truly believe God had other plans and placed me exactly where I needed to be,” she shared. “Special education has given me the opportunity to meet students where they are, celebrate their individual growth, and help them see that they are capable of so much more than they sometimes believe.”
Love, care, and celebration are at the foundation of everything inside Ms. Rush’s classroom. Her ultimate priority is making sure her students feel encouraged, supported, and valued. After spending a year with her, she hopes the greatest testament to her teaching will be students leaving her classroom feeling comfortable being themselves and confident that they are capable of anything they set their minds to.
“Our teachers, staff, and administration truly care about our students, and I think that makes such a difference. I am very proud to be a teacher at Jubilee Elementary,” Ms. Rush humbly stated. “At the end of the day, I just want my students to know they are loved, they are safe, and they have people at school who care about them.”
Rachelle Rush is the proud mom of two daughters, ages five and eight. When she isn’t teaching, you can usually find her anywhere near the water—on a boat, floating down a river, or soaking up the sunshine at the beach. Simply put, the water is her happy place! Spending time with friends and family and making memories with her girls are some of her favorite ways to spend her time.
