(Media release from the Rome City Schools):
The Rome City Schools voted to approve the hiring of Jessi Presley as the Director of Special Education for Rome City Schools.
Presley holds a B.S. in early childhood education with a minor in psychology and a master’s degree in early childhood education (2009), both from Berry College. She also added her Ed. S. in curriculum and instruction from Berry College (2013).
Rome City Schools’ new director of special education also holds a certification in educational leadership from Kennesaw State University that she completed in 2015.
Before coming to Rome City Schools, Presley taught at Beulah Elementary School in Douglasville, Ga. where she taught fifth grade for students in self-contained classrooms.
In 2007, Presley joined the staff at West Central Elementary School where she taught fourth and fifth grade students. She was named West Central’s teacher of the year for the 2011-2012 school year.
In Oct. of 2011, Presley served at Main Elementary School as an academic coach for mathematics. While working at Main, she supported teachers in K-6 classrooms by implementing lessons and best practices for student achievement. She was elected as teacher of the year for Main Elementary in 2015.
Presley began serving as a special education teacher at Elm Street Elementary School in 2019. While at Elm Street, Presley co-led the special education department and collaborated with administrators to maximize FTE funding. While at Elm Street, she was elected as teacher of the year for the district in 2022.
Presley currently serves as the special education instructional and data specialist where she supports special education programs across the district.
The RCS Board of Education has also approved the hiring of Winnie Wright as Director of Communications and Public Engagement.
Wright holds a BA in telecommunications and film and political science from the University of Alabama where she graduated in 2012. In addition to a double major, Wright minored in international studies while studying at the University of Alabama.
She later attended George Washington University where she completed a master’s program in political management in 2021.
Professionally, Wright has worked with Alliance Marketing Partners as the public relations and social media coordinator, served as a bureau chief and multimedia journalist for WCTV’s Gray Media and other media groups as a news anchor and reporter.
In addition to her work in television and journalism, Wright served with the office of Bryan Miller during his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia and for candidate Jesse Gibson who ran for office in Arkansas. She was the director of communications for both campaigns.
