Nancy Tyler Schoen, the music director at the Remington Middle School in Franklin, was today named the 2004-2005 Massachusetts Teacher of the year, said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey.
Healey also awarded Dean Eastman of Beverly High School the first Massachusetts Preserve America History Teacher of the Year honor.
"Governor Romney and I could not be prouder of Nancy Schoen, Dean Eastman, and all the other teachers who have dedicated themselves to the betterment of education in the Commonwealth," said Healey.
She added, "These teachers are a true inspiration. In the months ahead, we will continue to do everything possible to support them by promoting an agenda of positive reform and higher standards through the Legacy of Learning program. We owe this commitment not only to our teachers, but also to our parents and children."
Schoen, of Franklin, has been teaching children music for 24 years. Dedicated to her students and school, she has served on the Remington Middle School Mentor Team, the Remington Middle School Alliance, the Remington Middle School School Improvement Council, Franklin Public Schools Music Curriculum Committee and the Franklin Public Schools Unified Arts Scheduling Committee.
Eastman, of Andover, has taught social studies at Beverly High School since 1970. In 1989 he was selected as the Massachusetts Christa McAuliffe Fellow and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Award Winner. He has also participated in seminars on the American Civil Rights Movement at Cambridge University and a seminar on British perspectives on American History at Oxford University, both sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
The Preserve America History Teacher of the Year is a new honor sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History. Eastman will represent Massachusetts in the national program and is a candidate for the national award.
Commissioner of Education David Driscoll lauded the work of the two educators.
"Our classrooms are filled with individuals who are committed to achievement for every child and these educators are two of our finest," Driscoll said. "It is through the hard work, creativity and dedication of our teachers that our students are successful."
The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year is automatically the state’s candidate for National Teacher of the Year. While remaining in the classroom, Schoen will serve as ambassador to the teaching profession over the next year by making speeches and conducting workshops throughout the state. She succeeds Melinda Pellerin-Duck, last year’s Teacher of the Year.
There were four finalists and six semifinalists selected this year for the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.
Finalists
Judith M. Cournoyer
Eastford Road School
Southbridge Public Schools
Jennifer Kate Dowdle
Shepherd Hill Regional High School
Dudley-Charlton Regional School District
Holly Marie Lesenechal
R.J. Murphy School
Boston Public Schools
Brian G. Michaud
Dighton Elementary School
Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School
District
Semi Finalists
Paul Brooks Clark
Manchester Memorial School
Manchester-Essex Regional School District
Monique Dangleis
Green Meadows Elementary School
Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District
Roger L. Desrosiers
Millbury Memorial Jr./Sr. High School
Millbury Public Schools
Ann P. Knell
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District
Jennifer M. Rudolph
Weston Middle School
Weston Public Schools
Robert Wilson
Floral Street Elementary School
Shrewsbury Public Schools
Any Massachusetts resident, including parents, students, colleagues, administrators or superintendents, can nominate the Teacher of the Year. Nominations for the Preserve America History Teacher of the Year can be submitted by a supervisor of the nominee.
The first runner-up for the 2004 Massachusetts Preserve America History Teacher of the Year is Beth A. Harding of Dr. Arthur F. Sullivan Middle School in Worcester.
For more information on teacher recognition programs, log onto the Department of Education’s Web site at http://www.doe.mass.edu/eq/recognition/.
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