News Post

Librarian Angela Jewell & English teacher Rory Edwards '07 were nominated by their peers as Visitation's Teachers of the Year. These awards were established by the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools to recognize the devotion of veteran and novice Catholic secondary school teachers. The awards celebrate faithful service, excellence, best practices, and innovations in Catholic secondary school teaching.

Students heard the news at Founders Day yesterday, giving both educators a standing ovation.

As a member of Visitation’s Class of 2007, Rory Edwards distinguished herself as a writer, athlete, and leader. After graduating from Georgetown University, she was called to Boston College to earn a master’s in education, and began her teaching career in the Archdiocese of Washington at Holy Redeemer School in College Park, MD. She continued teaching at both public and private schools and later brought her skills down the street to Holy Trinity Catholic School - her alma mater. There, she helped form the minds and hearts of many students who later continued their education at Georgetown Visitation.

We were fortunate to welcome Rory home to 35th Street in 2023, where she joined the English department that had once inspired her own love of literature. In the very classrooms where she now teaches, authors like Charles Dickens and Toni Morrison first became close friends.

Rory’s classroom is a positive, warm space that calls to attention the second portion of St. Francis de Sales’ maxim to “be who you are and be that well.” The “be that well” on her walls reminds Rory’s students that they are each called to share their unique gifts with their classmates; her goal is to “make every student feel seen, known, and loved for who they are and who God calls them to become.” As an inclusive educator, Rory makes learning engaging and exciting with creative lesson plans and activities that encourage her students to innovate. 

A cheerleader for her students, Rory shares her passion for books and language with students each day in the classroom and through moderating The Georgetowner, Visitation’s literary magazine, guiding students to discover their own voices - a gift she once received here that, in her words, “irrevocably changed the course of [her] life” and that she now passes on to future generations of Visitation alumnae. 

Angela Jewell has served in school libraries since 1999 and has been a cornerstone of the St. Bernard Library since 2001, offering guidance, expertise, and steadfast support to Visitation students. A thoughtful and dedicated educator, Angela earned her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and her master’s degree in Library Science from the Catholic University of America.

For more than two decades, Angela has partnered with faculty to help students locate, evaluate, and interpret sources, strengthening their media literacy and research skills amid an ever-evolving information landscape. She encourages students to engage critically with the media they encounter, guiding them to ask discerning questions and make thoughtful choices in their research and media use. Through her mentorship, Visitation students develop the confidence and competence needed for college-level inquiry.

A leader in both media literacy and technology, Angela works alongside the technology team to help faculty integrate innovations into their classrooms. She remains at the forefront of important conversations in education, including artificial intelligence, ensuring students are well-prepared to thrive beyond the Green Gate. 

Beyond her vital work behind the scenes in the library, Angela is also always one to answer the call. In her first decade at Visitation, she co-moderated The Georgetowner literary magazine, and she continues to support students through her leadership of various clubs and the Library Advisory Board. She also chaperones field trips and retreats and serves as a moderator for the sophomore class. As one colleague noted, Angela is an  “invaluable asset” to the Visitation community - an educator whose humble leadership and dedication enrich our students’ lives.