Rosina Ivery-Simmons is a native of Winnsboro, South Carolina. She has been married to Keith Simmons for 32 years. Mrs. Simmons has one adult son, Jailyn Simmons. Rosina and her husband reside in Clinton, MD. In 1997, she began her teaching career in Prince George’s County, MD.
Mrs. Simmons’ experience began at Kettering Middle School in Prince George’s County. She taught Language Arts, served as Team Leader, and was PGCEA (Prince George’s County Education
Association) building representative. She attended local union meetings, rallies, and the MSTA (Maryland State Teacher’s Association) Conference in Ocean City, MD annually.
Since she was the Student Government Advisor, Mrs. Simmons chaperoned students to leadership development workshops in Ocean City, Md. Her student leaders met former Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele. She led the students in fundraising thousands of Pennies for Patients with Leukemia and Lymphoma and coordinated the Kids Helping Kids homeless campaign. Mrs. Simmons planned and implemented the Honor Roll Assembly aboard the Odyssey dinner cruise boat.
She is a Reading Specialist at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, Alexandria, VA. She was the first teacher at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria City Public School to pilot Scholastic’s Read 180 program, a researched-based balanced approach to literacy. Simmons has mentored several student-teachers. Mrs. Simmons presents literacy strategies for parents during parent coffees and Literacy Nights.
At this time, Mrs. Simmons is the building representative for the Teacher Advisory Council, which she co-chairs, and meets with the Superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools. She is a union delegate for EAA (Education Association of Alexandria), serves on the EAA Executive Board, and is a member of the Faculty Advisory Council. In addition, as an elected leader in Northern Virginia, she serves as Virginia Education Association President of District H region and VEA Board of Directors representing Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Manassas City, and Manassas Park. The local Presidents of each union serve under her leadership.
In conclusion, Rosina is a certified Reading Specialist at Francis C. Hammond Middle School. This is Mrs. Simmons’ twenty-sixth year as a highly qualified teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Arts, from Columbia College, S.C., a Master of Education in Integrated Studies, from Cambridge College, Cambridge, MA., Masters of Education Reading Specialist, from Bowie State University, Bowie, MD. She was ecstatic to receive the honor of Teacher of the Year at Francis C. Hammond Middle School 2019-2020.
