Jen Koch

As dynamic as she is thorough, Ms. Koch has paved her own path at RCS (and helped her peers along the way). Fresh off the heels of her entrepreneurial endeavor, Physically Fitch, Ms. Koch dove head first into RCS in 2022. Her hands-on, multi-sensory lesson plans quickly won her the hearts and affections of her students.

“Radcliffe Creek School’s method of customized, strength based learning and growth mindset approach is very appealing to me because of my own challenges with learning,” Ms. Koch said. “I absolutely love working in a hands-on, multi-sensory environment.”

While a transition from entrepreneurship to teaching may seem like a questionable jump to some, Ms. Koch has handled her new role with a tenacity and commitment that only an entrepreneur would be able to muster. Even after spending hours on lesson plans which will provide the kinesthetic and tactile instruction our students crave, Ms. Koch is eager to jump in and help out in other areas. In the spring of her first year, for example, she took on the massive year-end capstone project of compiling the 2022-2023 Yearbook with our 8th graders! Her sophisticated blend of creative instincts and type-A organization made her the perfect candidate to lead such an important project.

It’s not just her peers who recognize her hard work — our students see it, too. In some ways, they see more of Ms. Koch than any of us. Somewhat neurodivergent herself, Ms. Koch is very open with her past struggles in school. While it was difficult in her youth, now, Ms. Koch leverages those past challenges as a way to connect with her students. By offering a glimpse into her past, she helps establish a common bond with her students, inspire hope for her students’ respective futures, and subtly reminds them that there’s always someone in the building who “gets it.”

That willingness to be open and vulnerable hasn’t just been a beautiful thing to watch, but it may very well be the secret ingredient that makes Ms. Koch’s presence both wildly successful and impactful.

There are many, many sides to Ms. Koch. When she’s not at Radcliffe Creek inspiring her students, she can often be found in her garden or at her pottery wheel. A longtime Chestertown resident, Ms. Koch attended Washington College and earned her Bachelor of Art degree in Art History with a minor in Psychology. Her fiancé, Eric Fitch, has been at her side for well-over a decade. To relax and recharge, the two enjoy staying physically active, cooking, and watching their favorite tv show (The Office).