A Day in the Life of a Program Director

By Chloe Lahre
April 23, 2020

We’re continuing our Forward Together series with a look into how our Program Directors are supporting Fellows from afar while schools are closed. Here’s a glimpse at a day in the life of Chicago Program Director Veronica Jara.

Veronica graduated from Kelvyn Park High School, and now she’s a teacher there. She leads three OneGoal cohorts: a class of Year 3 students who are wrapping up their first year of postsecondary, a class of Year 2 students in their senior year of high school, and a class of Year 1 students in their junior year.

Veronica receives surround-sound guidance from her OneGoal Director of Teacher Support, Kelly Finnerty, every day to make sure she has what she needs.

“Kelly checks in on me all the time, not just about OneGoal, but about how I’m doing emotionally. We text each other regularly and those quick check-ins mean so much,” Veronica said.

“I’m also getting regular emails about the program that help me feel like I’m not falling behind. It’s a challenging time, but OneGoal’s outreach helps me remember that we’re all navigating this together.”

To support her cohorts, Veronica sets up weekly Google Classroom meetings and daily office hours. She’s focused on supporting her students beyond academics.

“Most of the time, we’re not talking about assignments; I’m checking in on them the way that OneGoal checks in on me. I want to know that my students are emotionally okay.”

Donate today to support teachers like Veronica. Together, we can ensure that all of our students persist through this challenging time and reach their greatest postsecondary aspirations.