Beloved by many special education students, teachers Katherine Dorsey and Denise Hodge are known for being a kind hearted, funny, and lively duo.
Katherine Dorsey is a special education English teacher and the sponsor of the Disability Student Alliance. She is from Tallahassee, Florida where she grew up with two brothers and attended Lawton Chiles High School. After high school, she went to Florida State University to study English Education. She started teaching as an English teaching intern for 7th and 8th graders at Fairview Middle School in her hometown.
Prior to coming to Jackson-Reed in 2021 as a transfer, she worked as a General Education Teacher for DC’s Youth Services Center teaching incarcerated youth English Language Arts. She worked alongside many current JR staff such as Department of Exceptional Learners (DEL) teacher Patrick Moore, Career and Technical Education (CTE) and DEL Teacher Johnny Walker, math and DEL teacher Jinyu Ou, and Assistant Principals Porshia Ojigbo and Ronald Anthony.
Teaching wasn’t always Dorsey’s job; before becoming a teacher, she was a Cashier at Publix, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TELF) Volunteer for the Peace Corps in China, and a teller for Bank of America.
Dorsey shared that she wanted to be a teacher for many reasons including that “the thought of working behind a desk was very unappealing.”
Dorsey also shared that students may not know that she’s biracial. “My father is from India, my mom is white.”
Teaching comes with roses and thorns, but also funny stories. Dorsey explained that she will never forget that two years ago, while she was teaching, “a giant cockroach scurried across the floor. I screamed so loudly that Dean Rodgers ran into the classroom from the hallway.”
If you are in the mood for a new book or want someone to talk about literature with, consider visiting or emailing Dorsey. She’s always open to talking about literature or a good book with current and former students.
Denise Hodge is also a special education teacher. Outside of Jackson-Reed she is an adjunct professor at UDC.
She grew up in the Caribbean; before Jackson-Reed she had many jobs such as working at Irishtown Elementary School in St. Kitts and Nevis, various hotels, and Youth Services Center. In her free time she likes to listen to audible stories, walk in Rock Creek Park and chat with loved ones. Current JR students can always stop by B-208 to chat with Hodge during lunch. Hodge told me she had an incredible experience hiking Mount Liamuiga (formerly known as Mount Misery) in St. Kitts. She added “it’s the highest peak on the island and one of the tallest in the eastern Caribbean.”
Dorsey met Hodge in 2017 at the Youth Services Center. They quickly bonded over their shared interests in youth and education. Hodge and Dorsey also both enjoy reading and listening to audible books.
With every friendship comes memorable and funny stories, and that of Dorsey and Hodge is no exception. Dorsey told us the story of the day they drove to a professional development workshop together. “We were driving past the convention center and suddenly the light turned red, but I had pulled forward. I was blocking part of the crosswalk! Whup whup! Yep, a hidden motorcycle cop pulled me over. I was so embarrassed, but Ms. Hodge never gave me a hard time about it. And I got off on a warning, whew!”
Dorsey told me “I really enjoy spending time with Ms. Hodge. We go on walks together after school some days.” Hodge added “I really admire Dorsey’s integrity and dedication, and I consider her a trusted and loyal friend.”•