Editorial Staff.
Each year, each school in Regional School District #17 chooses a Teacher of the Year and a Staff Member of the Year. 2020’s stellar staff members are listed below, with a write up from each building’s principal. The awards and retirees were announced at the Board of Education meeting held on June 9, 2020 via GoogleMeet streaming.
Announced by Principal Dennis Reed:
KES Teacher of the Year 2019- 2020, Kim Brustman
“Kim is a passionate, conscientious, smart, and compassionate person. Kim is a friend and a trusted colleague to all of us at KES. These very qualities that make her such a respected and loved person are what also makes her such an exceptional teacher. Simply put, Kim loves her students and has a “will do anything necessary” attitude and approach to reach them. Kim has an imaginative and intuitive approach in working with students, especially struggling students. Her ability to quickly build a positive rapport with children of varying intellectual, emotional and behavioral needs is a strength of hers. Students respond positively to her warm and nurturing yet highly structured approach to instruction. She is well versed in content knowledge, instructional strategies, and child development. She is constantly seeking new and exciting ways to engage her learners as evidenced by the way she has been on the leading edge of technology integration in our elementary program.
“Kim also shares her love of exercise and movement with her class and the staff at school by building in movement breaks for her students and teaching staff exercise classes after school. She collaborates with community programs such as senior pen pal programs and the Killingworth Historical Society. She leads her grade level peers, participates in curriculum writing and serves on many school committees.
“As a colleague has said, ‘Kim is the type of teacher you would want your child to have. She is energetic, takes pride in her work, and works effortlessly in order to meet the needs of all learners in her classroom.’
“In conclusion, Kim is an exceptional person and teacher and very deserving of this recognition.”
KES – Staff Member of the Year 2019-2020, Nancy Chase
“Nancy has worked at KES for over 24 years. In her time here she has touched the lives of thousands of children, often times providing guidance, reassurance or just the right words of encouragement needed to turn their day around. Nancy meets each day with endless knowledge and a genuine concern for students and staff. We have all admired her ability to respond to situations quickly and calmly, while maintaining complete control of the situation. We all take comfort in knowing that Nancy is there to take care of any situation that arises.
“Nancy has been a steady and positive influence on the hundreds of staff members that she has worked with as well. Nancy is viewed as everyone’s nurse. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen staff members in Nancy office seeking consultation for various ailments or just stopping in to say hello.
“I especially am grateful for having worked with Nancy as she provided me much wisdom in my transition into the principalship.
“Please join me in congratulating Nancy Chase as the KES staff member of the year.”
Announced by Principal Brienne Whidden:
Burr Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Chris Snow
“Chris Snow is deeply valued by our school community as an exemplary teacher. He embodies the growth mindset of an educator who asks, ‘How can I be better?’ His high expectations for himself parallel his high expectations for his students. Chris is always looking for ways to improve his craft. His students adore him and describe him as the perfect balance of silly and serious. They fully understand ‘the power of yet.’ You can hear Chris’ students say ‘I don’t know this yet, but I know I will get there.’ He provides students with the support and guidance to develop agency and become independent thinkers and learners. During Distance Learning Chris went above and beyond to support two of his students who were struggling. He set up daily GoogleMeets with the students and talked them through the plans for the day, provided them with words of encouragement, and offered advice and modifications that allowed the students to be more successful. Chris is determined to see each and every one of his students succeed!
“As a colleague, Chris is always willing to help anyone. He is there ready to troubleshoot technology issues, even if it is the second or third time you’ve had the same issue. He offers a positive smile and supportive guidance as he assists you problem-solving your latest tech snafu. Throughout the year he led various Google PD sessions for colleagues. His sense of humor can make you laugh on even the toughest of days! In addition to taking on all the responsibilities of teaching and new learning when we began Distance Learning, Chris managed to find time to run professional development sessions for paraprofessionals. He provided staff with valuable tools that enabled them to engage with teachers and students during Distance Learning.”
BES Staff Member of the Year, Heather Lonergan
“Heather Lonergan serves as a special education paraprofessional at Burr Elementary and is well-deserving of the recognition of staff member of the year. She has a natural talent for working with children of all ages and she possesses a deep sense of respect for children. Heather works hard to build rapport with students and her calm and supportive presence allows students to feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. She is a master at offering just the right amount of scaffolding to allow students to be successful while simultaneously pushing the student to become more independent. Heather is relentless in her efforts to learn more and do more to better support her students. In addition, she is a team player in every sense of the word. Heather exudes positivity, a collaborative spirit, and a willingness to help everyone.”
Announced by Principal Eric Larson:
Haddam Killingworth Intermediate School Teacher of the Year 2019-2020, Tara Brinkman
“HKIS is proud to announce Tara Brinkman as our Outstanding Teacher in our Inaugural Year. This year, our student council identified 5 attributes of a member of HKIS. They are kind and respectful. They treat others the way they want to be treated. They give effort and learn from their mistakes. They are responsible, and they love to have fun.
“These attributes describe Mrs. Brinkman as well as any person in our school. Her kindness shows from the moment the kids walk through her door and she greets them with a fist bump, high five, or a hug – their choice, continues through her morning meeting and throughout the day. Coincidentally, her son is the same age as her students, and every time I walked into her classroom, I felt that she was creating the type of class that she would want for her own child.
“As a teacher new to the grade, in a new school, Tara had a lot to learn. She worked hard with our literacy coordinator to become a great practitioner or our reading workshop model. She learned the new math standards and collaborated closely with her partner. She gave all of her effort each day. Yes, there were some mistakes, but she is a better teacher because of them.
“Throughout this distance learning, she and the other fourth grade math teacher worked together to provide innovative and engaging lessons, oftentimes becoming guest lecturers to bring novelty to the kids’ day.
“And it is hard to imagine Tara not having fun: for goodness gracious, she has stuffed Elmo dolls all around her room! At her heart, she wants to bring the same joy to the kids that she seems to have every day she comes into our school.
“Tara Brinkman embodies the risk-taking, the collaborative spirit, the intellectual curiosity, and the joy that define a member of HKIS.”
HKIS Staff Member of the Year 2019-2020: Caryn Luneau
“HKIS is proud to announce Caryn Luneau as our very first Outstanding Staff Member of the Year! Caryn worked with students throughout the year in our fourth grade, but added daily online check ins with one of our fifth graders this spring of social distancing. Whether working with a group of students, one-on-one in the classroom or on a computer screen, Caryn is the same kind, hard-working and empathetic person.
“Caryn is dedicated to the students of HKIS, even talking to teachers in the evenings about how they can partner together to help a student through a situation. She is respected by the teachers because of her tireless patience and creativity. I have even heard that she learned to play Fortnight so she could inspire one of our students during this shutdown!
“Caryn, your love for our kids and talent in the classroom is evident every day. Beyond this, you bring joy to our building. Congratulations on this very deserved honor.”
Announced by Principal Dolores Bates:
2019-20 HKMS and RSD 17 Teacher of the Year, Paige Callahan
“In one nomination for this year’s teacher of the year, it was written, ‘Educators like her are rare. She is brilliant yet humble. She is hard working but knows how to step back and celebrate. She balances expectations from her administrators with the needs of her teachers.’
“In another, it was written, ‘She goes above and beyond when it comes to helping teachers help kids. Her wealth of knowledge truly enables us to elevate our teaching in order to bring those struggling readers to grade level.’
“I think those statements say it best, and I am thrilled to announce Paige Callahan as this year’s Teacher of the Year. Paige is truly a remarkable person whose smile is contagious and whose knowledge is inspiring. She brings a can-do, whatever it takes attitude into everything she does. As our literacy coach, Paige implements coaching cycles with teachers to improve instruction, she facilitates IP meetings, she writes curriculum and she recommends book lists, she facilitates Reading STAT/SPRT meetings, always keeping the focus to move kids forward in their learning. She also collaborates to support writing and reading across the content areas. Paige not only elevates the work of our teachers, she also elevates the learning of our students and easily develops relationships with any group of students she works with. We are truly a better staff because of the work she does.”
2019-20 HKMS Staff Member of the Year, Susan Hammar
“This year’s staff member of the year directly impacts the work of each of us and I am extremely pleased to announce Sue Hammar as the HKMS Staff Member of the Year. Nominations described Sue as “Amazing,” “always willing to help” “a rock star”. Sue is detail oriented, diligent and responsive to each of our needs. She is quick to follow up and offers great insight into the history of this purchase or that purchase that helps to put it all into context. This year, the central office business manager left, an interim came in to transition, administration changed and an additional administrator and school came in. Sue coordinated and managed each of these changes with patience and skill. Sue balanced everything beyond the budgets, ordering supplies, delivering supplies, and established new routines and organizing a new physical supply and office space.
“On a personal note, Sue keeps me on track, always sending me reminders to sign this or approve that. I truly could not have gotten through this year’s budget without her. Sue is warm, friendly and always brings some humor to the conversation. I am so glad to have Sue recognized in this way for all that she does to ensure we have everything we need to offer great instruction and experiences for all of our kids. Congratulations, Sue!”
Announced by Principal Donna Hayward:
Haddam Killingworth High School Teacher of the Year 2020, Carlye Kohs:
Carlye has worked tirelessly this year to help our team “Go Google,” and has played a pivotal role in our Blended Learning initiative over the last two years. Who knew in September that she would create her own definition of “essential worker” in March as we launched head-first into distance learning?! She connects our kids, trouble-shoots for faculty and trains all members of the team in whatever they need to know to get the job done online. She is the ultimate “sixth (wo)man” on the team — stepping up to coach girls soccer when we had an opening in the fall, jumping on board with our school culture assemblies when our climate hit a bump, and working with colleagues to lead the Spirit Club into uncharted pep! She serves on the NEASC Steering Committee which shoulders the lion’s share of the work involved in our accreditation visit. In addition to all that, first year teacher Mikayla Zagata notes “It is [Carlye’s] personality, humor, and enthusiasm for the students and her colleagues that also makes her the best fit for Teacher of the Year. Being in the library with her and watching her interact with students is a joy, and there is a noticeable difference in the vitality of the library when she is not there. She pushes students to think deeper, to reach for higher goals, and to make sure students understand what they need to do in order to succeed. She is loved by students who hang out and find solace in the library and by her athletes on the field.” Nominated by numerous faculty across the departments, Carlye Kohs is HKHS’ Teacher of the Year.
HKHS Staff Member of the Year 2020, Steve Miller:
“Steve is known for his quiet demeanor and getting the job done behind the scenes and after hours, literally, when most of us have gone home for the day. Leading the evening shift custodians, he is the miracle worker who always manages the myriad of tasks required for hundreds of evening events each year. In addition to doing his own work every day, he also picks up the pieces if any of his team are out and takes calls all hours of the day (and night) from coaches, athletic director and administration who always seem to need something five minutes ago. Athletic Director, Lynne Flint writes, ‘Steve is a very important member of the athletic program, especially in the winter. I am constantly calling Steve for help. Steve is kind, easy to work with, and very helpful. Situations come up in athletics that no one sees coming as most people have left the building by the time they occur: power outages, water issues, injuries, illness, technical difficulties, and mechanical failure are just some of the problems we faced just this past year. I appreciate all Steve does – we are lucky to have him on our team.’ As an unsung hero for years, Steve Miller has certainly won his moment in the sun as this year’s HKHS Staff member of the Year.”
Announced by Superintendent Hageman:
District Staff Member of the Year 2019-2020, Beth LiPuma
“Beth has worked in the district since 2008, first as a paraprofessional, and then as the administrative assistant for the Student Services Department.
“Beth’s professionalism, kindness, and empathy positively impact everyone who interacts with her. Her first instinct is to find a way to help in any situation. She is child and family centered at all times and thinks outside the box to make sure students have the transportation, technology, and supplies they need.
“It would take me too long to list all of her many important job responsibilities. I can tell you she is most proud of her work on the Excess Cost Grant and serving as Medicaid Coordinator for the district. She also manages transportation for the Student Services Department and keeps our office budget accurate and up to date.
“When I told Beth about the honor she was going to receive this evening, she was humbled. She stated, “I enjoy my job. I love the people I work with and for, and especially the kids.” Special education has a special place in her heart. She has learned a lot over the years, and looks forward to continuing her professional and personal growth in the future.”
In addition, the following RSD #17 employees are retiring, and the principals waxed poetic about the contributions of the retirees, and each retiree got to say a few words:
- Eileen Mills, Reading & Writing teacher most recently in 5th grade at HKIS, but formerly from BES, with 32 years of service
- Patricia Zeidler, Kindergarten teacher from BES, with 28 years of service
- Nancy Chase, nurse from KES, with 24 years of service
- Cindy Klein, food service most recently from HKIS/MS and previously at BES, with 18 years of service
- Gary Sheperd, maintenance from Central Office, with 14 years of service
Photos are screenshots of the LiveStream GoogleMeet
