Meet new 1st grade teacher Jolie Norman

Jolie Norman, the new first-grade teacher at Stedman Elementary, and fellow first-grade teacher Erin Hofacre pushed a lot of furniture around Ms. Norman's classroom yesterday, and they have more to do before school starts. "In a week, you won't recognize this place. I'm looking forward to making it my own," promised Norman. And in making it her own, she's excited to make it a place kids want to be and a place they want to learn.

In addition to her longtime calling to work with kids, Norman loves that teaching gives her the freedom to experience new places. She spent the last two years teaching...