Handley dual enrollment teacher was named tops in Virginia

Dual-enrolled U.S. History students at John Handley High School in Winchester are being taught by one of the best. Jeffery “Jeff” Keller was the 2024 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

“Jeffery encourages each of his students to set high goals and creates pathways for them to achieve excellence,” then-Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons says in a Virginia Department of Education press release. “I am looking forward to visiting Handley High and watching him in action. Jeffery and our other regional teachers of the year are going to be outstanding ambassadors for the commonwealth’s teachers and public schools.”

The fanfare and resultant events, which included going to the White House and meeting President Joe Biden, were “absolutely ludicrous,” joked Keller. In addition to his trip to the White House, there were regional camps for technology, Space Camp, and other professional development opportunities.

He “thought for sure” he knew who would get the nomination for the division, saying there were other “great Winchester Public Schools teachers.”

“The National Teacher of the Year program is amazing,” said Keller. “I think it was right place, right time. I know there are teachers in this commonwealth who are much, much better teachers than I am. I think, also, the kids make me look better than sometimes I am.”

Keller, who has a bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education from Shepherd University and a master’s degree in history from George Mason University, is working on his Ph.D. at GMU. He has been teaching at John Handley High School for the past 17 years. He has previously worked as an adjunct instructor both at Laurel Ridge and Shenandoah University.

For the past three years, Keller has taught Advanced Placement U.S. History, which is dual enrolled with Laurel Ridge. He teaches about 100 kids across four sections. Additionally, he teaches AP African-American Studies, which is not dual enrolled.

AP U.S. History is a tough class, Keller acknowledged.

“I think it’s a rigorous course and it’s a rigorous course in part because it’s both AP and dual enrolled, so we’ve got this heavy set of expectations that this is a college course, this is six college credits with the completion of this one high school class,” said Keller, who was the 2023 Winchester Public Schools Teacher of the Year..

One of the reasons he enjoys teaching the dual-enrolled class is because he has more latitude in his teaching than he would with a class that culminates in SOL (Virginia Standards of Learning) tests.

“We’ve got some flexibility to go deep in some places,” Keller said. “That flexibility doesn’t necessarily exist in an SOL course. Because you get to lean into this, you get to really help kids make some connections, understanding how the past and the present are in conversation with each other.”

The history department offers two other dual-enrolled classes – AP World History and AP Politics and Government – according to Keller. He said he “loves” teaching dual-enrolled students.

“I’m going to have high expectations for my students no matter what, but when you talk about why you’re making them do a research paper because they’re in a college course – research is an important part of the college experience,” Keller said. “It’s my job to help them know how to do a research paper. And they’re probably going to like it because they get to immerse themselves in a topic they’re interested in.

“You don’t have to take dual enrollment, but you do need a U.S. history course. Most of the kids who are in this class are here because they want to be. Most of them are engaged, most of them are inquisitive. They want to talk about what’s going on, and if you can help them make that link from past to present, they will engage with you.”