Three ESOL educators from Valdosta City Schools recently joined the Georgia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (GATESOL) Fall Conference on October 30–31, 2025 in Athens, GA.
Attending from our district:
Jedda Brantley (Pinevale Elementary)
Destaney Velez (Valdosta Middle School)
Jenay Lewis (Newbern Middle School)
GATESOL’s mission is to support excellence in English-language instruction and advocate for multilingual learners across Georgia. This year’s conference brought together ESOL practitioners, program leaders, researchers and policy advocates to exchange strategies, explore best practices in instruction, and strengthen supportive learning environments for multilingual students.
A special congratulations to Jenay Lewis of J.L. Newbern Middle School whose session titled “Unlocking the Secrets of Inclusive Instruction: Keys to Bridges ESOL & SPED” drew a standing-room-only audience. Her dynamic presentation focused on practical and inclusive strategies to support students who are English learners and also identified for special-education services.
Thank you to our teachers for representing our district, engaging in professional growth, and bringing back new ideas to enhance our work with multilingual learners. Together, we continue to bridge language, content and opportunity!