Teacher Profile: Jessica Pinzon

From Student to Colleague

As a high school student at The Sagemont School, Jessica Pinzon never would have imagined she’d one day be working side-by-side with the then Head of School Dr. Brent Goldman. But six years later, Jessica is now the middle and high school science teacher at Xceed Preparatory Academy—Weston.

Now in her fourth year at Xceed, Jessica, who originally started her career as an elementary teacher, is thriving in her role, despite some of the challenges the pandemic brought.

“What I love about Xceed is how we can revolutionize the way we teach,” she shared. “When the pandemic hit, it was very smooth for us because we plan out our lessons a semester in advance. So, I just set up a lot of online meetings and shared list of materials students would need for the coming weeks. All of the activities I design tie into the curriculum, so they are able to not just learn about the topic, but actually interact with it.”

Jessica also appreciates Xceed’s hybrid model of education. “When the kids are on campus, they are engaged and excited to be here, not just to learn, but for social interaction with their peers,” she noted. “It’s a bonus for me because it makes the science activities even more fun—they are ready and willing to try new things and their minds are open for learning. It’s the best environment I could ask for as a teacher.”

Despite her love for education, Jessica was not always on a path to becoming a teacher.

“My initial major was nursing,” said Jessica. “But I had a phenomenal high school science teacher for three years who was my inspiration. She encouraged me to explore my passion for the subject and once I took a class in education, I never turned back.”

“I am so happy to be here at Xceed and I look forward to exploring science with students every day,” Jessica added.

Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Florida International University and her master’s degree in STEM Leadership from the American College of Education.

Learn more about the Weston campus here and to apply, click here.