Joining our Heritage community (again) this year and teaching algebra is Mrs. Jennifer Swope. Mrs. Swope has been teaching for 33 years. She worked here from 2009 to 2014 before going to Dalton High School and later to Ooltewah High School to teach. Mrs. Swope graduated in 1991 from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s in Math Education. She then decided to further her education by getting her master’s education specialty.
Mrs. Swope, on why she had chosen Heritage, said, “It’s a great school, and I’ve taught here before. Plus, it’s close to my house.” Some challenges she’s getting through are that when she left Heritage in 2014, they didn’t have to do with technology, but now that she’s come back, almost everything they do is now on computers, and she sometimes has problems with her smartboard or tablet not working correctly. However, lots of teachers have helped her with that.
Outside of school, you’ll most likely see her lying by a pool. On days when she’s not doing that, she enjoys biking and running. Mrs. Swope then goes on to talk about her two sons Tyson and Kaden (age 20 and 23). Tyson Swope, who recently graduated from Birmingham Southern College and who is now teaching math and coaching football and basketball. Her other son, Kaden Swope, graduated from Heritage High School in 2023 and is now pursuing an accounting degree at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
Mrs. Swope is a great teacher with an enthusiastic and enjoyable personality who pushes her students to do their best. She wants her students to be lifelong learners and to know that a higher education is attainable if that’s what they want to do. It has been a crazy first few weeks being back at Heritage, and with figuring out all the new technology, Mrs. Swope has been very grateful to the faculty staff for helping her and welcoming her back. If you see her in the hallways or have her as a teacher, make sure to make her feel welcome!
