
Hartford Public Schools Announces 2020 Teacher of the Year
Virtual Teacher of the Year Online Event Celebrates the Excellence of Our Hartford Teachers.
The winner of the 2020 Teacher of the Year Award for Hartford Public Schools was announced this evening in an online event hosted by Hartford Public Schools.
In light of precautions surrounding the COVD-19 health crisis, the competition for Hartford’s 2020 Teacher of the Year moved online, and began with 37 teachers nominated by their schools to participate in this year’s selection process. Each nominee underwent an intensive screening and interview process conducted by a district-wide Teacher of the Year Committee made up of Hartford Public Schools curriculum directors, officials from the Hartford Federation of Teachers, and previous award winners.
All nominees must be tenured K-12 teachers in the Hartford Public Schools system. They must exhibit exemplary teaching skills, show commitment to the belief that all children can learn and must be active in community and humanitarian affairs.
Last year’s winner was Narcisco Moquete, a Fourth Grade teacher at SAND School.
After its review, the committee selected three finalists. Each finalist was then asked to complete a series of written essay questions for the final evaluation.
This event was funded through generous local sponsors. The lead sponsors for the Teacher of the Year awards ceremony were VOYA Financial and Sonitrol. Other Major Sponsors included: Autumn Transportation, Newfield Construction, Downes Construction, Hartford Federation of Teachers, Ricoh, LLC, Pullman and Comley, Bear’s Restaurant Group, City Steam Brewery, and Church & Main Deli.
The three FINALISTS are:
- Shakira Perez, an English teacher at Classical Magnet School
- John Tusch, an English and Computer Science teacher at Global Communications Academy
- Benjamin McLane, a 5th Grade teacher at Wish Museum School
Hartford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez and 2019 Teacher of the Year Narciso Moquete served as presenters of the 2020 Teacher of the Year award and announced the winner, Shakira Perez.
You may watch the entire Virtual 2020 Teacher of the Year Awards event here. Not to be missed: Ms. Perez’s acceptance speech at 38:00.
Wish School students perform “Don’t Stop Believing” for Finalist Benjamin McLane
Full List of this year’s nominees:
School / Location | Candidate name | |
Annie Fisher STEM Magnet School | Alicia McKernan | |
Betances Learning Lab Magnet School | Erica Ellison | |
Betances STEM Magnet School | Suela Bruko | |
Breakthrough Magnet School North | Valerie Michaels | |
Breakthrough Magnet School South | Patrick Habersang | |
Bulkeley High School | Belinda Perez | |
Burns Latino Studies Academy | Teresita Hernandez | |
Burr School | Erin Tingley | |
Capital Preparatory Magnet | Brittany Halleck | |
Classical Magnet | Shakira Perez | |
Dwight Bellizzi School | Courtney Proto | |
Environmental Sciences Magnet at Mary Hooker | Elisa Berggren | |
Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan | Joseph Parker | |
Global Communications Academy | John Tusch | |
Great Path Academy at Manchester Community College | Steven Wolf | |
Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy | Angela Kumm | |
Hartford Pre-K Magnet School | Jessica Costa | |
Hartford Public High School | Frank Giannini | |
Kennelly School | Jason Kahn | |
Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts | Renata Tavares | |
MD Fox School | Rose Alvarado | |
McDonough Middle School | Joshua Hinrichs | |
Milner Middle School | Tynisha Tyson | |
MLK Middle School | Julie Medina | |
Naylor School | Barrett Marlan | |
Parkville Community School | Colleen Signori | |
Pathways Academy of Technology & Design | Matthew Stroop | |
Rawson School | Amber Riley-Wilson | |
Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy | Adrienn Olmstead | |
Sanchez Elementary School | Timothy Bojanowski | |
SAND School | Lindsay Tinker | |
Sport & Medical Sciences Academy | Cynthia Petrillo | |
University High Magnet | Nicole Silenok | |
Weaver High School | Cecilia Chang | |
Webster MicroSociety Magnet School | Abigail Sutcliffe | |
West Middle School | Toni Johnson | |
Wish Museum School | Benjamin McLane | |