Nominee’s Name: Tyler Clark
School Name: St. Stanislaus
Nominated By: Marissa DaCosta

Mr. Clark Is one of the best teachers is my son has ever had. He is very dedicated to his classroom and has provided us a substantial amount of resources for homework this year. He keeps the kids attentive with his unique way of teaching using his magic trick hobby, and we couldn’t be happier with the results we’ve seen in our son! Bottom line is were lucky to have an awesome 3rd grade school year!

Nominee’s Name: Michaella Lesieur
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Maria Afonso

Miss Lesieur has truly been a blessing. Our son began attending SJSJ this academic year, at the start of middle school, and quickly felt a part of the family-centered community. Miss Lesieur is patient, detailed, organized, very caring, and always manages to find time to answer my questions during, before, and after school (no easy feat!). She also keeps the kids engaged by including fun activities in learning. Miss Lesieur removed so much of the anxiety from the school transition period. She is an A+ teacher!

Nominee’s Name: Dennis Malloy
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Eligia Cordova

I nominate him for being a serious person in his class and at the same time friendly. Excellent teacher!!!

Nominee’s Name: Maria Germano
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Anja Desmarais

She makes learning fun for the kids is kind and teaches values.

Nominee’s Name: William Hakeem
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Karen Simone

As track coach for this year, Mr. Hakeem provided a great supportive environment for the team along with Ms. Katie Rogier. After this week’s away match they stopped and provided an ice cream treat for the team. It was a nice environment for my new to the sport student.

Nominee’s Name: Cristina Viveiros-Serra
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Patricia Matos

Mrs. Serra is an amazing leader and principal at St. James St. John School. She takes the time to know each student with their families and assist them with whatever is needed to have them excel. She is not only the principal, but a guidance counselor, mentor, and friend. Mrs. Serra will always carry a smile on her face, and you would never know it, if she is having a bad day.

The May winner of the $100 AMEX gift card is Dora DeSousa from Espirito Santo!

Your Nominee Can Go Here!

Nominee’s Name: Jenna Pedchenko
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Ameli McNally

She’s really, really great and should win. Also we all love her so just do yourself a favor and pick her!

Nominee’s Name: Christopher Myron
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Alexis Heidt

Dear Mr. Myron
I just wanted to thank you. You have done so much for our Catholic School Community. We were all so blessed to have you come to Coyle, for it’s last year. You made Coyle such a positive place. When Coyle closed, you welcomed us with open arms, into your Connolly family. You made Bishop Connolly feel like a home to us, just as Coyle did. We’ve all been through a lot of changes this year, but you are the one that made it better. Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and your generosity. You will be greatly missed. God bless you and your family.
-Alexis Heidt

Nominee’s Name: Natalie Melo
School Name: Espirito Santo
Nominated By: Jessica Williams

In what has been a difficult school year for many, Mrs. Melo has done everything within her power to make Pre-K as “normal” as possible for the kids. This is my second experience with Mrs. Melo – my daughter was in her class last year and my son this year.. they are two totally different students and both adore her – they say she is silly and fun! When schools closed last year, Mrs. Melo and her equally amazing team of Mrs. Bouchard and Mrs. A. Melo worked quickly to get work together for the students. They did their best (and I say that because imagine how difficult it is to hold Zoom sessions with a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds!) to keep the kids engaged by doing activities, reading stories, and even sent home bingo cards to play letter and number bingo with the students over Zoom … my daughter loved playing and it was something for her to look forward to in a world of uncertainty. She made sure that her students did not go without their pre-k graduation and organized it in a socially distant and covid-friendly way when she was finally allowed to do so. My son is one who definitely requires a lot of patience from his teachers and thankfully, she is never short on that. She is easy to talk to and very approachable, and I appreciate that she always answers my questions and is honest and up front of me any time I have concerns. I am truly grateful for her!

Nominee’s Name: Kara Lawrence
School Name: Our Lady of Lourdes
Nominated By: Riley Smith

Mrs. Lawrence does so much for our school. She makes learning fun with her enthusiasm and her projects. She is a very funny teacher and I am glad to be one of her students.

Nominee’s Name: Marcia Ubertaccio
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Carolyn Hietsch

Mrs. Ubertaccio leads her classroom with a quiet confidence. She takes the time to get to know her students, then gives them exactly what they need to excel in all areas of development. Two of my sons have had her as a fourth grade teacher and although they are very different students, she has provided both with exactly what they needed to thrive. They both loved her sense of humor, fun learning games, and her calm and kind personality. SPXS is lucky to have her!

From my current 4th Grader: “Mrs. Ubertaccio is nice and jokes around with us, but she can also be serious. She makes sure everyone follows the rules, but never yells. She also plays lots of fun learning games with us.”

Nominee’s Name: Kirsten King
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Carolyn Hietsch

Ms. King’s classroom is full of laughter, love, and learning. The students in her class trust her completely and they all develop a strong bond with her that lasts well beyond their time in her classroom. Her learning activities are fun and creative, and her support of her students’ social/emotional strengths and challenges is truly remarkable. My son’s confidence and self-esteem grew tremendously during his third grade year and I will always be grateful. Ms. King truly makes every student feel like her favorite.

From my son, Parker: “Ms. King understands kids. She makes everyone ready for the next grade. She helped me gain more confidence and helped me with things I struggled with. She likes talking with kids in every grade, not just her class.”

Nominee’s Name: Benares Angeley
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Anonymous

I wanted to nominate our art and music specialist who bring joy into all the classrooms she visits! Ms. Angeley is encouraging and gets the students excited about art and creativity. She is patient, creative, caring, inspiring to her students and has gone above and beyond in the pandemic to make her classes work. I work in the school and I know when she is near by the excited greetings she receives from her students. Thank you Ms. Angeley for all you do!

Nominee’s Name: Debbie Bourque
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Carolyn Hietsch

My son has had an excellent year in Kindergarten with Mrs. Bourque. She is kind, energetic, and enthusiastic and he talks about her constantly. During this pandemic year, she has gone the extra mile to make Kindergarten safe, but still full of fun. Mrs. Bourque takes the time to get to know each and every student, as well as their families. Her positive attitude is infectious and we are so happy our son is in her class this year.

From my son: “Mrs. Bourque is SO nice. I love being in her class. She loves my art and thinks I’m really good at karate. She is so sporty too. And she loves the Patriots.”

Nominee’s Name: Samantha Barreira
School Name: Holy Name School
Nominated By: Catherine Fraga

Mrs. Barreira is my daughter’s prek teacher at Holy Name. She is the best! She is always so energetic, kind and will do anything she can to help a student.

My daughter has a stutter and Mrs. Barreria volunteered to speak with my daughter’s speech therapist about techniques to use in the classroom. She makes Hope feel very comfortable and gives her all the time she needs to get her words out.

My daughter has learned so much from Mrs. Barreira. For me the best part is how she is able to bring the faith alive to the kids. My daughter at the age of 4 was able to explain to me the events of Holy Week. She spoke about Lent and the meaning it has. I was just so impressed.

Faith formation is a big reason we chose a Catholic Education and Mrs Barreira is doing a fantastic job of educating little saints in the making.

Nominee’s Name: Christine Medeiros
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Kara Colucci

Mrs. M made my son Addison’s year. It could have been a really tough year because of the pandemic, but she made the most of it.

Nominee’s Name: Kathy Ruginis
School Name: Bishop Stang High School
Nominated By: Liz Voci

Kathy Ruginis is an exceptional administrator and a role model of strength, determination, faith, and compassion. She has dedicated 35 years to working to support the mission of Bishop Stang High School, “making known the goodness of God.” She embodies this mission every day with her hard-work and dedication to the students and staff of Bishop Stang. This past year she has worked countless hours to establish and maintain a safe learning environment, to provide continued rigorous learning experiences, and provide social and emotional support to teachers, students, and families. Mrs. Ruginis is an inspiration to Catholic school teachers with her faith and embodiment of the school’s mission! She has made an incredible impact on the school and all of those who have been blessed to know her! Congratulations on her retirement!

Nominee’s Name: Chris Kelly
School Name: Bishop Feehan High School
Nominated By: Meredith Smith

When my son Chad was younger, he loved to read, but somewhere along the way he lost that joy. Mr. Kelly has completely changed that, and now my son comes home every day talking excitedly about what they are reading in class. Mr. Kelly’s enthusiasm for The Great Gatsby is unmatched- I never thought I’d see the day where my son would pick up a classic just for fun, but Mr. Kelly has even inspired him to read the new Gatsby prequel that was just released! Mr. Kelly takes his role as an educator very seriously- he models academic security for his students and dutifully prepares them for their AP exams, grading stacks and stacks of essays and taking the time to provide thoughtful feedback. He is the kind of teacher students stay in touch with for years, sending him updates about their latest achievements and even barging in for an unexpected visit just to brighten his day. He adapted to the new technology this year seamlessly, and absolutely deserves to be recognized for his hard work!

Nominee’s Name: Jennifer Perrault
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Joelle Sifa

Miss Perrault has been awesome in teaching our 2nd graders children. She is very organized, very nice, and has amazing learning technics for young kids. I really appreciate her work so much. She is very helpful for us as parents, and she communicates with us with all concerns with the students regarding their progress. I value your hard work dear Miss Perrault with Mrs. Ryder. Please, keep up with your great work.

With much gratitude,
Joelle

Nominee’s Name: Ann-Marie Shaw
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Joelle Sifa

Mrs. Shaw is so nice, very engaged in her role serving our school with devotion. I really appreciate her work more than words can say. She is very friendly. I always feel happy when I call the school and get her on the phone. She is always ready to help you with any concerns you may have with the students and the school.

Please, Mrs. Ryder know that you are doing an amazing job at SPXS, keep up with the great work.

With much gratitude,
Joelle

Nominee’s Name: Ann Agurkis
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Joelle Sifa

Nurse Ann has been very amazing in taking good care of our children health. In this difficult times of the pandemic. She always makes sure the kids have all the immunizations they need on time. She offers advice and best practices for children diet which I really appreciate very much. She is very helpful like all other members of SPXS. Please, Nurse Ann keep up with the great work you are doing.

With much gratitude,
Joelle

Nominee’s Name: Joanna Ryder
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Joelle Sifa

Mrs. Ryder has been a wonderful teacher for our 2nd graders children. She is very friendly, very helpful, and always involved in our students education. I really appreciate her work so much with Miss Perrault. Please, know that you are doing a very good job with our young kids, keep up with doing the right thing. Your hard work is very appreciated!

With much gratitude,
Joelle

The April winner of the $100 AMEX gift card is Patricia Williams of Our Lady of Lourdes!

Nominee’s Name: Ann- Marie Shaw
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Annie Agurkis

Ann-Marie is amazing! She greets everyone who calls or comes in to the school in the most welcoming and friendly way. She is the best ambassador for St Pius X! Ann-Marie has kept track of all our COVID cases, close contacts and other logistics. She knows every student by name and the parents. She has assisted with remote learning, helping kids get logged in or trouble shooting. Whatever your question, whatever your need, she is there. Ann-Marie goes above and beyond every day- she’s here early, stays late…all with a positive attitude and smile. St Pius could not function without her!!

Nominee’s Name: Mary Turner
School Name: Our Lady of Lourdes
Nominated By: Laurie Amberman

Mrs. Mary Turner wears so many hats! Not only is she the principal, dealing with administration, parents, teachers and vendors but she fills in as secretary, cafeteria aide, classroom teacher from kindergarten to 8th grade! She is always pleasant to students, parents and staff. I feel her efforts go unnoticed and unappreciated. Mary should be honored for her dedication to the mission of Catholic schools and Our Lady of Lourdes in particular. God bless Mary Turner!

Nominee’s Name: Beth Mahoney
School Name: St. Stanislaus
Nominated By: Kendra D’Angora

Beth is the best principal I’ve had the pleasure to work with in the diocese. She is true to our school, staff, and most importantly, our students. She is kind and generous with her time, as well as showing us she cares for all of us. She is always available if we need guidance, or advice. She tries to help in any way she can in any situation. She exhibits her faith with everything she does, which is an inspiration. I feel thankful she represents our school in the professional and caring way she does. She has created a loving, faith filled and educational environment for us all to thrive in. She consistently provides ways for teachers to improve our teaching strategies. I am very happy to say she is my favorite person in our school.

Nominee’s Name: Debra Polselli
School Name: Espirito Santo School
Nominated By: Adelia Paz

Best teacher ever. Lots of patience.

Nominee’s Name: Kathryn Duvall
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Ellen Zontini

Mrs. Duvall brings joy, warmth and a sense of family to her classroom. This is tricky to achieve with middle school students! Her students are truly interested in her literature and history instruction and they have fun while learning. Beyond the curriculum, Mrs. Duvall makes time to share and teach her personal recipes as well as including art in her instruction. All of this is presented with a smile and her unique humor. The SPXS family is lucky to have her!

Nominee’s Name: Sean Houlihan
School Name: St. Mary, Mansfield
Nominated By: Laura Ferlazzo

Mr. Houlihan has been the most influential teacher our son has ever had. He has inspired him to work hard, not be afraid to ask questions, fully engage, and truly try his best. He is a rare professional that takes his role seriously and is a true role model for all his students.

Nominee’s Name: Maribel Williamson
School Name: Bishop Stang High School
Nominated By: Colleen Martin

Maribel has been working in the Attendance Office at Bishop Stang for 34 years! She has decided to retire at the end of June and we don’t know what we will do without her. Maribel has the most patient and sweet demeanor with students and parents and coworkers alike. She is reliable, always on time and ready to lend a hand to anyone. Maribel is the ultimate definition of a team player. She has been a pleasure to work alongside with and the school will most definitely feel her absence in the attendance office (pun absolutely intended).

Nominee’s Name: Cathy Jason
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Marlene Lira

Mrs. Jason is very kind to the Kindergarten students, my Twins really enjoy being with her. She is patient and fun with the kids.

Nominee’s Name: Patricia Williams
School Name: Our Lady of Lourdes
Nominated By: Tara Haggerty

Mrs. Williams is a dedicated teacher who really gets to know her students and their learning style . Mrs. Williams is able to differentiate her expectations with each child to help them reach their potential.

Nominee’s Name: Kimberly Cavanaugh and Tammy O’Malley
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Nicole Bussiere

I would like to nominate my daughter’s Pre-Kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Kimberly Cavanaugh and Mrs. Tammy O’Malley from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro. The decision to send my daughter to Pre-K full time during a global pandemic was not an easy one. I can whole heartedly say now that I made the right decision! Mrs. Cavanaugh and Mrs. O’Malley have been an absolute light in my daughter’s life during this trying time. They plan fun, engaging, and valuable learning experiences and activities for the whole class, which my daughter still excitedly talks about weeks later. Their ability to adhere to COVID protocols and continue to creatively accomplish the quality of education they have for their young students is inspiring. The best part of all is that from day one, these amazing teachers have done all of these things with a huge smile on their faces and so much positivity. It is so apparent how much they genuinely enjoy each day in the classroom and this joy is contagious to their students! During such a difficult time, it is comforting to know that my daughter gets to step into a safe and fun place to continue to grow and is in the best of hands. Mrs. Cavanaugh and Mrs. O’Malley have put my daughter on a path to loving school and learning for which I will be forever grateful.

Nominee’s Name: Elizabeth Kelley
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Hyannis
Nominated By: Selma Armaczuk

Mrs. Kelly is so professional and dedicated at everything she does.

My son is attending SFXP for the second year and he always praises his Principal Mrs. Kelly.

She is caring, accessible and on top of everything !!!

Mrs. Kelly always makes sure everyone is well and succeed in every aspect.

Thank you for everything Mrs. Kelly 🙂

Nominee’s Name: Eleanor Monast
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Gabrielle Sullivan

Mrs. Monast (prek3) goes above and beyond in her classroom and for her students. From the projects she makes to the fun they have, I know our son has had an amazing school year even with the masks and all the restrictions. One can tell just how much she loves her students from what she plans for them and the thought she puts into everything that comes home. The picture I am submitting is from the space unit the class did, which my son loved! We are still singing space songs weeks later. Mrs. Monast is on the far left. She had them dress up as astronauts, sponges on their feet, an all, for the sensory effect, to parade all around the school. The kids have a blast in class and I know why, because of Mrs. Monast’s dedication and love for her class and for teaching.

Nominee’s Name: Sue Cabral
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Samantha (2nd grade) Oliver

I asked my 2nd grader if she would like to nominate a teacher. Her response was…”Mommy, all my teachers are great, it’s hard to pick just one but has Mrs. Cabral been nominated yet?”.

When asking Samantha why she nominated Mrs.Cabral? In her words ” because Mrs. Cabral works so hard to keep our school clean and safe for us”.

My children have been full time in school since August. And we owe MANY thanks to ALL the staff of Holy Trinity school for their hard work, and dedication. I am extremely proud of Samantha for taking notice and appreciation for Mrs. Cabral.

Thank you Mrs Cabral from Samantha and all the Oliver’s. Thank you for keeping our school clean and safe for our precious children.

The March winner of the $100 AMEX gift card is Shireen Muehlberger of St. John the Evangelist!

Thank you for our March nominees!

Nominee’s Name: Jennifer Linehan
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Felisvera Depina

Since she is a religion teacher, it takes a lot of love for the Lord and the Church teachings to keep the kids interested in our faith and she does a very good job with all of that.

Nominee’s Name: Crystal Silva
School Name: Espirito Santo
Nominated By: Stephanie Silvia

I would like to nominate Mrs. Crystal Silva. Mrs. Silva is the kindergarten paraprofessional at Espírito Santo school. My children have had the experience of remote school for various reasons this year and that has given me firsthand experience with Mrs. Silva. When tasked with keeping Kindergartners focused and engaged through Google Classroom, Mrs. Silva truly shines. We appreciate her knowledge and understanding of the platform itself, helping to give everyone a turn to speak, presenting science videos and stories. She exhibits a tremendous amount of patience and seems truly interested in what the children have to share. Her encouragement of our children, when trying to read, makes them feel confident and excited to continue to learn and grow. She demonstrates an ability to connect with the students in a way that keeps them engaged, happy and having fun while learning. She is a great asset to the kindergarten classroom and the school, and should be recognized for her service.

Nominee’s Name: Diane Blaha
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Tara Erwin

Always willing to help in any way that she can, goes above and beyond all the time. I have had 3 children attend SJE and Diane has always been there for all 3 of my kids, not only professionally but personally. I feel that Mrs. Blaha is so deserving of this nomination I so many ways! She has held a special place in our family’s hearts for all the years that we have been part of the SJE community.

Nominee’s Name: Gretchen Arcouette
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Mary-Elizabeth LeBlanc

Last year was my first year as a mom of a school-aged child, and I felt greatly supported by Gretchen Arcouette and her staff. I am a mother of a 5 year old and 3 year old and hoped my oldest would have a positive first year of school in prek3. When we had to lock down and transition to remote learning, it was a huge adjustment and stress for all involved, but Gretchen and her team rose above the challenge and found ways to make learning relevant and fun even from afar. This year, my son has been blessed to have Gretchen again for prek4. She has made this year seem seamless as everyone got used to masks and distancing, while still enjoying a fun curriculum. Gretchen is always open to discussing and accommodating to the children’s needs and I am very thankful for her.

Nominee’s Name: Angelina Correia
School Name: Our Lady of Lourdes
Nominated By: Kristen Niven

When my son was 3 and I had no idea what I would do for child care or early education. A friend told me about OLOL and I was immediately interested. My Catholic faith has always been an integral part of my life, but as a single mother working full time, I had no idea how something like private school could ever be possible.

I scheduled a tour and was greeted by Ms. Correia. She showed me the school and explained the process about enrollment and tuition. I shared with her my personal situation and she listened without judgement. She allowed me to be open and honest and went out of her way to make it possible for my son to attend OLOL. My son entering the school in pre-k 3 was the greatest blessing I could have ever received. Ms. Correia supported me through the entire process and always made a point to check in and see how I was doing.

Not only has OLOL molded the path of my son’s life (he is now in kindergarten) Ms. Correia’s kindness and acceptance has restored my faith in the Church. She is truly the hands and feet of Jesus, living the gospel message every day.

One day during an open house, a prospective parent was visiting the building. Several of us pointed out that the woman’s shoe was untied. Without hesitation Ms. Correia bent down and tied the woman’s shoe for her. This is the character of Ms. Correia, humbly and kindly performing acts of service for those around her. As a parent with a student at OLOL, I believe the school would not be the same without her. This is why I am nominating her for this award.

Nominee’s Name: Michelle Klein
School Name: St. Michael
Nominated By: Nancy Arruda

We nominate Mrs. Klein. We were fortunate enough to have Mrs. Klein teach PreK and Kindergarten for our daughter. She is truly passionate about her work and loves her kids! Our daughter looks forward to going to school and Mrs. Klein is part of the reason why. She is always so welcoming and easy to talk to. During this past year with covid, she has been so accommodating if children had to learn remotely or in person. Our daughter has learned so much from her teachings. We are truly blessed to have her.

Nominee’s Name: Joann DaRosa
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Sally Medeiros

Mrs. DaRosa is wonderful with the children. She keeps them excited and interested in school and always keeps parents informed of what they’ll be learning in class each week, including at home suggestions. She is patient and thoughtful. She’s amazing!

Nominee’s Name: Michelle Klein
School Name: St. Michael
Nominated By: Paula Medeiros

We nominate Mrs. Klein,
We feel so truly lucky to have a teacher who shows all of the care, understanding, and patience. The passion for teaching and dedication to her students is obvious in everything she does on a daily basis. Always going above and beyond to each of her students, specially during this covid pandemic has been extremely difficult. Mrs.Klein always showing and putting a positive smile into everything single student every day.

Nominee’s Name: Anna Manny
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Kim Carvalho

Nurse Anna does an amazing job at taking the student’s care very seriously. She is excellent at assessing all illnesses, and minor injuries that may occur in the classroom and on the playground. She is especially calming when it comes to notifying the parents immediately after an incident occurs.

Nominee’s Name: Jose da Costa
School Name: St. Joseph
Nominated By: Katie Donovan

When thinking about who to nominate, I started to write names of people I come in contact with daily. Half way through my list my five year old daughter asked what I was doing. I explain and started to go through my list. When I was done with my names, my daughter looked at my list, then me, and said “you forgot the most important person.” Who, I questioned, as my list was not big but I thought I had most people I knew. My daughter replied “ Mr. Costa!”. It was right there that I realized how important it was to include her in the process of such an important nomination. So from here I will write why my daughter has nominated Mr. da Costa as an important person in her school life.

When my daughter started her new school Mr. da Costa was one of the first facility members that at lunch that would help her get her lunch ready. Every day we write her notes and place it her lunch. Every day she said he would help her read the note. This helped her settle into not only a new school but a school with Covid restrictions.
When situations have arisen where cleaning or fixing has needed to be done, Mr. Da Costa does it with ease and will always answer any question each kid is asking when doing it. Our daughter is a talkative and a very curious kid. He has also taken the time to answer her questions while completing the task at hand.

He may have a position within St. Joseph School that he spends a majority of the time with the kids but when he is around, he shows kindness and a caring attitude to each kid he comes across, even if it’s for a short period of time.

Nominee’s Name: Christine Medeiros
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: John Riley

Mrs. Medeiros has gone above and beyond to help our daughter. She lost 4 months of Kindergarten due to covid. With Mrs Medeiros helping, she was able to catch up to where she should be in first grade.

Nominee’s Name: Scott Baker
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Norma Belay

Mr. Baker is a very important part of the staff at St.James St. John’s school. He is the school custodian and is entrusted with the task of keeping the school clean and safe for everyone. Mr. Baker has a great personality which is wonderful to see as he greets the students in the morning. He has a good sense of humor which always puts a smile on the student’s faces. Mr. Baker is such a pleasant asset to the staff at SJSJ. My granddaughter loves being greeted by him in the morning. He sets the tone for the remainder of the day. Thank you Mr. Baker.

Nominee’s Name: Joyce Saucier
School Name: All Saints Catholic School
Nominated By: Soultana Baptiste

Mrs. Saucier encourages and motivates Dominick on a daily basis. He comes home everyday eager to tell me what happened in social studies class. She has gone above and beyond to retain his interest in social studies and to help him gain more knowledge in this subject. She is an amazing teacher all around and her dedication to her students is greatly appreciated.

Nominee’s Name: Karen Petrie
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Meg Willis

With both our children having attending SPX (one since 1st and the other since Pre-K) and experiencing the many wonderful educators, Mrs. Petrie is the one that we feel is the most underrated teacher at SPX. She understands each and every child that comes through that door on a different level, as individuals. She said to me, “I would never want to change your student, I appreciate them just they way they are.” Having a teacher say that to me, when others have had feedback on how things can change, Karen wanted to work with where things are. She is one of the most incredibly caring people I know. She deserves to be recognized. I often said I wish she could have taught my kids every year.

Nominee’s Name: Kate Martin
School Name: St. Pius X
Nominated By: Kaylee Baril

I chose Mrs. Martin (Kate Martin) because she is the best teacher I have ever met! She helps me to want to come to school in the morning and she makes me smile when I see her in the school hallway! She is really nice and no one can replace her! She is an awesome guidance counselor/teacher and anyone deserves to have her as a teacher!

Nominee’s Name: Michelle Russo
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Jenalyn Gobern

Mrs. Russo has always been an important piece to the Saint Francis Xavier School puzzle. As the principal of the school for as long as I can remember she has always gone above and beyond for the children and their families. When the pandemic hit last year she worked tirelessly to determine and implement the best possible strategies to allow the faculty and students the opportunity to continue with the school year. As unconventional as it was, the children were still able to thrive and learn under the difficult circumstances. She has continued throughout this school year to maintain the safety and well-being of the faculty and the students. Along with the stress that comes along with all of the restrictions in place and maintaining a certain level of safety, Mrs. Russo has been an integral part in ensuring that our children have some sense of normalcy within their school day. Our children are not only learning but they are also thriving and it gives my husband and I a sense of peace knowing that our child is in the best hands possible under the leadership of Mrs. Russo.

Nominee’s Name: Cathy Jason
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Rene Rhodes

Kindergarten during a pandemic. The thought of such a milestone clouded with masks and restrictions on sharing and social interactions weighed heavy on the hearts of many parents. But how lucky are the parents of Mrs. Jason’s Kindergarten class that she still found ways to engage her very young students during such an uncertain time. My son came home with exciting stories to tell about Fun Friday, Sight Words, and Pajama Day. A period of required remote learning allowed me to see how the timid, first day Kindergartens from orientation day had blossomed into enthusiastic learners. It was clear that Mrs. Jason had not just been teaching reading, math, and religion. She was also fostering self-confidence, and inspiring her students to love learning and love God. Mrs. Jason is an exceptional educator whose love for her students and her St. Francis Xavier community truly shines brightly.

Nominee’s Name: Mr. White, School Janitor
School Name: All Saints Catholic School
Nominated By: Christopher Lemaire

Mr. While is always friendly. He has a tough job but always has time to answer questions from my classmates. Last year, he gave us all in the middle school ice cream and popsicles.

Nominee’s Name: Shireen Muehlberger
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Jennifer Moore

St. John the Evangelist School is very fortunate to have Mrs. Muehlberger as the Middle School ELA teacher. She is an engaging, enthusiastic & inspiring educator that has a positive impact on all her middle schoolers. Mrs. Muehlberger really gets to know her students & challenges them in both a safe & caring environment. Both of my children have excelled in her class due to her creative teaching strategies & positive leadership style. Mrs. Muehlberger strongly exemplifies our schools values & we are lucky to have her.

Nominee’s Name: Arthur Ferreira
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Nellie Hotte

Mr. Ferreira is the middle school history and literature teacher at St. Francis Xavier school in Acushnet. He has taught both my daughters Kaitlyn (now a sophomore in college) and Emma who is currently in 8th grade (and for the past middle school years).
Mr. Ferreira embodies everything it means to be a great teacher. He is professional and knowledgeable in what he teaches, promoting the Catholic faith and helping build strong foundations and morals. He brings laughter into the classroom along with real life experiences. This definitely keeps the students engaged and motivated. Throughout the pandemic and its challenges, he’s made an smooth transition from remote to in-person learning which has made it easy for the students to keep going without skipping a beat.

Mr. Ferreira along with the faculty at St. Francis Xavier have been unbelievably successful during this last year in providing a safe environment for the students while promoting an excellent education. We are confident that Emma will be prepared for high school and continue her faith based education. We are so thankful for them and Mr. Ferreira!

Thank you for all you do!

Nominee’s Name: Jennie Martel
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Acushnet
Nominated By: Liz Voci

Mrs. Martel has gone above and beyond to provide a rigorous education, a safe and welcoming classroom environment, and constant opportunities for spiritual growth. There are too many examples of her exemplary teaching to list on this nomination! She leads be example, and faces challenges with a positive attitude and creative solutions. She’s been teaching first grade students in-person and remotely at the same time all year. My child joined her classroom remotely for two months, and she made every effort to continue his education and took time every day to just talk to him and the other remote students. She manages her class of 18 squirmy first graders in the classroom and on the computer at the same time with grace, and she ALWAYS a smile. My son loves going to school, and I am so grateful for all of her hard work!

Nominee’s Name: Filomena Silva
School Name: Bishop Stang High School
Nominated By: Victoria Raposo

Senora Silva is one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met. I have been in her class for four years now and it is one that I always look forward to. She makes class both fun and interesting and I’m so glad I have gone onto the fourth year. She is the sweetest, most caring and compassionate person I know. She has inspired me to become a teacher and has given me so many opportunities as a young peer tutor in her subject. I will always be grateful for everything Senora has done for not only me, but also all of her students. She is an example of what a good Catholic should be. She has strengthened my faith in both God and myself. Senora has helped me dive deeper into discovering who I really am. Senora has helped me realize what a beautiful heritage I come from and she has helped me appreciate it so much more. I can honestly say that to this day, I don’t know where I would be without her. Thank you Senora for all that you do!

Congratulations to Tyler Clark from St. Stanislaus School! He is our February winner of an AMEX $100 Gift Card!

Thank you for our February nominees!

Nominee’s Name: Patrick Rosendale
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Marcelle Peterson

From Allie, student: Mr Rosendale is the best teacher!
From Mom, Marcelle: Mr Rosendale connected immediately with our kids. He has made history class a favorite for his students! He educates while making subject matter interesting and memorable! He is a great asset to SJE! Here is a picture of a history project!

Nominee’s Name: Jose da Costa
School Name: St. Joseph
Nominated By: Katie Donovan

When thinking about who to nominate, I started to write names of people I come in contact with daily. Half way through my list my five year old daughter asked what I was doing. I explain and started to go through my list. When I was done with my names, my daughter looked at my list, then me, and said “you forgot the most important person.” Who, I questioned, as my list was not big but I thought I had most people I knew. My daughter replied “ Mr. Costa!”. It was right there that I realized how important it was to include her in the process of such an important nomination. So from here I will write why my daughter has nominated Mr. da Costa as an important person in her school life.
When my daughter started her new school Mr. da Costa was one of the first facility members that at lunch that would help her get her lunch ready. Every day we write her notes and place it her lunch. Every day she said he would help her read the note. This helped her settle into not only a new school but a school with Covid restrictions.
When situations have arisen where cleaning or fixing has needed to be done, Mr. Da Costa does it with ease and will always answer any question each kid is asking when doing it. Our daughter is a talkative and a very curious kid. He has also taken the time to answer her questions while completing the task at hand.
He may have a position within St. Joseph School that he spends a majority of the time with the kids but when he is around, he shows kindness and a caring attitude to each kid he comes across, even if it’s for a short period of time.

Nominee’s Name: Deborah Cronan
School Name: St. Joseph
Nominated By: Tahnea Perry

This was my first time putting my daughter in any type of child care and Mrs. Cronan has made me feel at ease these past few months. Her communication with me & interaction with my child is amazing! So happy she is my daughter’s first school teacher.

Nominee’s Name: Mike White
School Name: All Saints Catholic School
Nominated By: Ava Ferreira

He cleans our school, and is very nice and thoughtful to everyone.

Nominee’s Name: Amy Hurteau
School Name: All Saints Catholic School
Nominated By: Erica Caron-Afonso

I am nominating Mrs. Hurteau for her service and love for All Saints for a variety of reasons. Mrs. Hurteau is a nurturing and compassionate educator who is committed and dedicated to all of her students. She goes above and beyond to meet students needs. My daughter has some learning and coordination challenges and Mrs. Hurteau has helped her to feel accepted and included at school while providing as much academic support as possible. Mrs. Hurteau also tutors my daughter after school on her own time to help improve her skills. My daughter is so grateful to be in her class and feels like she can go to Mrs. Hurteau with any questions or concerns. We, as a family are grateful as well, for all she has done.

Nominee’s Name: Patricia Ferreira
School Name: All Saints Catholic School
Nominated By: Kathy Souza

I would like to nominate Mrs. Ferreira from All Saints, she so deserves this nomination. She is not only the 5th grade homeroom teacher, but also, the school music and Portuguese teacher. On a daily basis she sees so many students, virtually. My 5th grade student loves her, she makes learning fun and has maintained a great attitude during both distance and in-person learning. I was wondering what music class would be like this year and was thinking I would need to invest in some good ear plugs, however, she has taught the students about notes, instruments, and categories of music. I have been so impressed with what I hear both in her music class and Portuguese class with my youngest child. I personally have no idea what is being said or taught in Portuguese however, my children are learning and retaining that knowledge even though they may only hear once a week in class. Mrs Ferreira is a great teacher and role model for all of the students at ASCS, we all appreciate everything she has done for the students and the school.

Nominee’s Name: Sheena Carrier
School Name: Espirito Santo
Nominated By: Mario DeSousa

Mrs. Carrier deserves to be nominated for this because she is always there for my son, Ashton, everyday whenever he needed someone she knew how to attend to his needs. She would call me to make sure I was in the loop of what my child was going through after he lost his grandfather unexpectedly. I have never felt more comfortable with my child having someone like Mrs. Carrier to be there for him in such a difficult and unpredicted time. She went above and beyond just being a a school nurse, she is an outstanding role model for my son and all the other children that she has the opportunity to take care of.

Nominee’s Name: Kristyn Johnson
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Deb Vaillancourt

Mrs. Johnson has taught both my son’s for a total of 7 years (middle school & 5th grade). Her love of teaching especially in the subject of social studies has to this day influenced my oldest son’s love of the subject. He still now, as a high school senior, will still recite facts that he learned with Mrs. Johnson and let me know the tricks that she used to help him retain the information. I also had the pleasure of spending time with her outside of the classroom as her sons’ played basketball with my boys. She is an amazing role model to her students and also to their parents. My boys and myself are better for having known her. She is a treasure at Holy Trinity.

Nominee’s Name: Mark Tanguay
School Name: St. John Paul II High School
Nominated By: Keith Powell

Mr. Tanguay works tirelessly to guide the students at St John Paul II high school to ensure they are as well prepared for whatever path they may follow post high school. His dedication to his work and his students is exceptional. The high school guidance program at SJPII is one of, if not the best, around. I have personally attended many of his weekly guidance information sessions which he provides outside of his work hours. He makes himself available to students and parents both in and outside of work. Even now during this past year, his guidance department has not missed a beat in continuing to communicate with students and families and providing all the resources necessary to their success. He embodies servant leadership and I am proud to be able to nominate Mark Tanguay.

Nominee’s Name: Mary Offiler
School Name: St. Francis Xavier – Hyannis
Nominated By: Larry McGrath

Mary Offiler is more than kind and helpful. In many ways, she is the face of Saint Francis Xavier Prep. She helps parents and students navigate the sometimes changing circumstances within the school in these unusual times. She is a problem solver, counselor and friend to every student and parent who needs information about the school. The answers are always given with a smile.

Nominee’s Name: Jennifer Linehan
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Alexis Heidt

Ms. Linehan is always working her hardest for all of her students. She will take time, no matter how long it takes to make sure that we have everything we need, and if anyone is having trouble, she will work her very hardest to make sure that she can help them. She makes sure that all of her students are doing okay not just in school, but in life in general. She will always ask you how your day has been and make sure your doing okay, and if not she will try to help. Everytime I walk into her classroom, I always feel relived because I know that when I walk into her classroom, it’ll be a good day if she is there. She makes her classes fun and engaging and always keeps us on our toes. In the beginning of the year she made sure that we got to know each other and helped us grow closer as a class. She is always working not just for her class, but the school. She puts together so many events, and you can truly see the dedication and love she has for the school and her students. She makes learning about religion enjoyable because that is the way she lives her life. She is a great role model.

Nominee’s Name: Claudette Cardey
School Name: St. John Paul II High School
Nominated By: Ryan Monast

I am nominating Mrs. Cardey, she has gone out of her way for me this year. This year has been a struggle for me but Mrs. Cardey has been extra supportive and I really want her to know how much I appreciate it.

Nominee’s Name: Sr. Muriel Lebeau
School Name: Holy Family-Holy Name
Nominated By: Corinne Lebeau

She is my sister and has taught at Holy Family for many years and is a witness to all the children in the school with her beautiful prayers services.

Nominee’s Name: Brenda Berard
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Pam Poli

I just would like to let you know that choosing just one staff member was very difficult to do. They have all been so wonderful and I am grateful to be able to have my daughter attend school at Bishop Connolly. But I chose Brenda Berard because she has really helped my daughter so much in Algebra this year and really made her more comfortable in school and in her ability to do her school work. This year has been a challenge for a number of reasons and the things she has said to my daughter have really helped her get over some of the rough times. Thank you Brenda for all you do!

Nominee’s Name: Beth Mahoney
School Name: St. Stanislaus
Nominated By: Ann Marie Melanson

I would like to nominate Beth Mahoney, Principal of St. Stanislaus School. Beth goes above and beyond to ensure that all of the teachers have everything they need to provide the best education for the students. Moving effortlessly between remote and in person learning, she is able to make the transition seamless. She always has the wellbeing of the students, parents and teachers in the forefront. She is able to move quickly through the multitude of State Covid 19 protocols necessary for the day to day operation of the school. She is always doing little things to encourage both the students and teachers to do their best each and every day and to live each day at school and at home in their Catholic faith. She encourages kindness to one another always.

Nominee’s Name: Brenda Berard
School Name: Bishop Connolly High School
Nominated By: Isaiah Poydras

Mrs. Berard is nice to her students and explains material well enough to gain understanding of the subject. She keeps things intersting and make students feel she cares about them. For example, she gives free homework passes if it’s your birthday. I feel she deserves some recognition.

Nominee’s Name: Kelly Raulino
School Name: Holy Family-Holy Name
Nominated By: Melanie Boswell

Ms. Kelly has taught both of my children in the preschool 3 program at Holy Family Holy Name School. It is so hard as a parent to leave your child in a school setting for the first time. Ms. Kelly has really helped my children to learn not only their basic letters and numbers but taught them how to be great kind children. I feel blessed to have been able to have my children in her class and I look forward to my youngest to be in that class!

Nominee’s Name: Maurice Ouellette
School Name: Bishop Stang High School
Nominated By: Francisco Manon

He is a big influence in our school community, if you don’t have him as a teacher you still know a lot about him. He is very involved in our school theatre and is a great role model to many kids in the school. He is someone who is always open to helping whoever comes knocking at his door.

Nominee’s Name: Krystie Medeiros
School Name: St. Joseph
Nominated By: Nellie Oliveira

Mrs. Medeiros is such an amazing teacher/vice principal. My son had her for his 3rd great last year (she is now the vice principal). She would go above and beyond everyday and truly cares. She deserves to be a acknowledged for all her hard work!

Nominee’s Name: Mrs. Adelle Monticello
School Name: St. Joseph
Nominated By: Darlene Goll

Mrs. Monticello goes above and beyond for all of her students every day. She stays after school every week if a student needs extra help. She is so kind and generous. She is a very special lady! Saint Joseph School is lucky to have her!

Nominee’s Name: Kathryn Paul
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Tammy Jo Borden

Mrs. Paul always teaches above and beyond the scope of duty. She has worked diligently with all children to help each student reach their full potential. She has worked one on one with my daughter in 2020 to ensure she understood all the material.

She spends her off time creating things at home for her students and helping other staff. She is honest and sincere when teaching about God’s love and she never gives up on anything. It is apparent how much she loves teaching and my daughter thrived even through the pandemic. No matter what life brings Mrs. Paul, she digs in and faces every challenge as an opportunity to grow and to teach compassion, empathy and faith. She deserves to be acknowledged for her hard work and dedication.

Nominee’s Name: Lisa Manning
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Erica Borden

Because if I need to talk to her, she is there for me and she is kind and nice and amazing, sweet. She wants to help everybody.

Nominee’s Name: Patrick Rosedale
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Emily Thomas

Nominee’s Name: Joann DaRosa
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Alberta DaRosa

Mrs. DaRosa always has her student’s best interests on her mind. She is always learning and looking for ways to instill faith, love and learning into their daily activities. Being a second grade teacher, she has to prepare her students for their First Holy Communion and she does so with sincere love and honor. She will go somewhere and see something and say, that might be a great learning project for my “children.”

Nominee’s Name: Michelle Klein
School Name: St. Michael
Nominated By: Linda Borges

Michelle started at sms as our pre school teacher and after a few years of teaching and doing incredible things to help kids learn their letters and sounds and everything needed to begin pk4 she was then given two weeks to become a kindergarten teacher and step up a class and lesson plans and curriculum for an entire new grade. She stressed but always pushing herself to be the best she can be, even with all the covid restrictions and changes she was given a class of 22 students and made it all work! Some students couldn’t write their names or knew the letter sounds and today they can write sentences and read even those students who where on the lower end of knowing only 4 letters in the entire alphabet now know all their letters and sounds even sight words. She is a loving and caring teacher she goes above and beyond what is asked of her. I would say she challenges herself and her students to reach higher goals and be better students with never giving up and caring for each other. I wish my kids where able to have Mrs Klein as a teacher!!!

Nominee’s Name: Kimberly Terceiro
School Name: Holy Family-Holy Name
Nominated By: Eileen Frasier

Mrs. Tercerio is in her first year teaching at Holy Family Holy Name and has been so wonderful to get to know throughout these past few months. She is the 3rd grade teacher and my son is in her class. He has been having a difficult time adjusting to all the changes this school year and she has been so wonderful. She is reassuring and FLEXIBLE. She has been so supportive of us as we try to help our son continue to learn and stay connected with his classmates as he does the virtual learning. She is such a blessing to us and we are so happy to have her as part of our Holy Family Holy Name School family.

Nominee’s Name: Stacy Gillard
School Name: Holy Family-Holy Name
Nominated By: Eileen Frasier

Ms. Gillard is one of the most enthusiastic and dedicated teachers I have ever met! She brings so much excitement and energy to each and every lesson she teaches. Ms. Gillard is always encouraging her students and rewarding their good behavior with pizza/ice cream parties, pj days, or movie afternoons. When school switched to virtual learning last March she did not miss a beat with complete daily lesson plans and fun activities for the classroom google meetings. My daughter was lucky enough to have her for a teacher last year and again this year. She is a true gem and we are so lucky to have her at Holy Family Holy Name.

Nominee’s Name: Susan Fortin
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Marcia Correia-Thomas

I am nominating Mrs. Susan Fortin because she goes above and beyond every year for the students of Saint John the Evangelist. She shares her love of music and the arts with the children. She works extremely hard in providing the students with opportunities to develop their music and theater talents. Not only does she teach music she runs the bell choir after school along with the teather. Every year she plans , organizers and runs the Christmas concert, talent show, and school play. She is the reason that my daughter loves music and loves to play piano. She is the reason that many children have found their happy place in saint John school. She is a loving and caring teacher and is dedicated to all her students. Even during the pandemic she did a fabulous job of having the kids do a Christmas concert in a different way to ensure the health and safety of the children. We are blessed to have her as the music teacher at Saint John the Evangelist.

Nominee’s Name: Tyler Clark
School Name: St. Stanislaus
Nominated By: Derek DeSousa

Mr. Clark has been a valuable member of the St. Stanislaus community. The pandemic requires agility and resilience and he continues to exceed my expectations as a parent. He works hard to deliver and engage with students both in-person and virtually. His empathy to the situation families is by far the most I have witnessed. He continues to work to make it easier for families who are juggling many new responsibilities. This often comes as greater work and complication for him. By communicating frequently, he allows parents to help support their children. My daughter continues to share how much she enjoys his approach and delivery even despite being remote. He deserves this recognition for all that he has done for our children.

Nominee’s Name: Mona Lisa Valentino
School Name: St. John Paul II High School & St. Francis Xavier Preparatory
Nominated By: jp Sweezey

Having to fill Mr. Keavey’s shoes would be tough for anyone.!! Ms Val has been given the helm of our ship and steered it through massive icebergs.! She is smart, strict, tolerant, openminded , yet steadfast in her commitment to uphold true Catholic Christian beliefs.! I have spoken to many teachers, guidance people, and principals over my 3 children’s 25yrs. in various schools here and on the South Shore. I’ve been impressed by a few, and disappointed by some. None have shined as brightly as Ms. Valentino.!!! Her leadership has been one of the first points in my recommendation to others if asked why we chose St. John Paul II High School.!!

Nominee’s Name: Dan Dias
School Name: Bishop Stang High School
Nominated By: Jeff Gardner

Dan Dias is a guidance counselor at Bishop Stang, as well as the freshman football coach. He has been our son’s guidance counselor for the past two years and has gone above and beyond any job description to show a sincere concern and interest in our son’s well being, both academically and athletically, as well as his activities outside of school. It takes a special person to pursue this career and caring for young adults can be demanding and incredibly time consuming, Mr. Dias has shown again and again how much he truly cares about these students and is tireless in making sure they know he always is in their corner. I am sure Mr. Dias would humbly deflect a lot of praise but we, as well as many families at Bishop Stand, are blessed to have him involved in our son’s and daughters lives.

Nominee’s Name: Elizabeth Kelly
School Name: St. Francis Xavier Prep
Nominated By: Margaret Hagopian

Mrs. Kelly is an amazing teacher, she always has a smile on her face. She cares about every person in the school and is so kind and caring to every student. Thank you so much mrs. Kelly for you hard work for SFXP!

Nominee’s Name: Brenda Gagnon
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Rebecca Dansereau

We would like to nominate Brenda Gagnon, Principal of Holy Trinity School in Fall River. She is amazing with not only the students but with the parents and teachers. The protocols she has in place, to keep the entire school and families safe, is impressive! You can not only see by her actions but you can feel her dedication and love for God, the students, and the community. She is a beautiful example of God’s love. We share with everyone we know how much we love Holy Trinity because of Mrs. Gagnon and her true commitment to the school.

Nominee’s Name: Christopher Keavy
School Name: St. John Paul II High School & St. Francis Xavier Preparatory
Nominated By: Richard Fish

Without Chris Keavy, we quite literally might not be here today at our schools. He was instrumental in the founding of our high school, and assumed the very challenging duties of uniting our two (formerly three) schools during many difficult years. He does this because he has a faithful, informed, and thoughtful vision that is quite rare these days. He puts his well-informed educational philosophy to good use, so his decisions are never arbitrary. He is a wise leader who has a vision that I am proud to follow. More than this, he works to be a humble Christian, every day.

Nominee’s Name: Stacy Gillard
School Name: Holy Family-Holy Name
Nominated By: Christine Stewart-Melo

Ms. Gillard joined the Holy Family Holy Name Schoollast year. My daughter has had the pleasure of having her the past two years as she moved up to the second grade. Ms. Gillard is passionate about her work. She is full of energy and helps the children to learn and excel. She takes the strength of each child and helps them to grow. She is creative and thinks out of the box. Ms. Gillard is number one and deserves recognition for her outstanding work!

Nominee’s Name: Suzanne Lafevre
School Name: Holy Name School
Nominated By: Cheryl Robinson

Suzanne has worked for Holy Name school for over 32 years. She is always willing to help anyone who wants her to. She is an excellent teacher. The children respect her and love her. Suzanne will volunteer her services for any jobs that need to be done.

She has a good relationship with all parents and is the biggest advocate for catholic education and Holy Name school. Suzanne was my adviser when I first started working at Holy Name School and I learned so much from her. Please consider picking Suzanne because she is a loving devoted teacher with a very strong faith in the catholic community.

Nominee’s Name: Brenda Gagnon
School Name: Holy Trinity
Nominated By: Rebecca Pereira

Mrs. Gagnon is the principal at Holy Trinity School. She has gone above and beyond to make this school year successful and maintain some sense of normalcy. She has been transparent about COVID in the school and has followed protocols set forth by the state. She fought timely to receive funding in order to install sinks in the classrooms of younger children, as well as have supplies for disinfecting and sanitizing. My daughter has been attending in person since the start of the school year. However, many students are attending virtually every day, and there is always the option to either take your child out of in person learning, or send them back to school from virtual learning.. As a registered nurse in critical care, knowing my daughter is learning in an environment that is so positive is a huge relief in an otherwise stressful time. The few days she has had to do remote learning, it is clear the teachers have been prepared well for what to expect. Mrs. Gagnon has also coordinated with the priest to hold virtual masses for the children on Holy Days. I am thankful my daughter is able to learn alongside her friends in a school that I feel is clean and safe for our children at this time. We are blessed to have her because she truly does care about the children and all our families at this time!

Nominee’s Name: Wendy Langilear
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Dominica Ribeiro

I want to nominate Mrs. Wendy Langelier. Mrs. Langelier entered the St. John’s family as a parent, and over the past two years, she has remained a part of the family but as part of our fantastic facility. Mrs. Langelier not only loves St. John’s the Evangelist school, but she loves each one of the students as well as her peers at the school. Every day our children are blessed to see Mrs. Langelier’s smiling face and feel her positive attitude. The safety and comfort of the children is Mrs. Langelier’s top priority. Mrs. Langelier’s dedication to the school administration, the church, her peers, and the children is like no other. Mrs. Langelier’s level of emotional intelligence is what I would refer to as a genius. She can sense if a child is having an off day, if a parent feels frustrated, or if someone just needs a smile to lift their day. Mrs. Langelier is such a vital part of the St. John’s community and is dedicated to making our school the very best it can be!

Congratulations to Cristina Viveiros-Serra from St. James St. John School! She is our January winner of an AMEX $100 Gift Card!

Thank you for our January nominees!

Nominee’s Name: Katelyn Larrivee-MacDonald
School Name: Espirito Santo
Nominated By: Kendra Neto

I am nominating Ms. Katelyn because during the Pandemic she has been vital to my son’s success. Wether it is in person learning or virtual learning, she has gone above and beyond for my family. During the first round of the pandemic I moved out of my home due to being a Registered Nurse on a Covid unit. Ms. Katelyn would google meet with my son multiple times a week via google meet, many times one on one during her personal time outside of work, to ensure his success in the subject he struggles the most in (ELA). She was there when I could not be. I truly feel blessed during such difficult times to have her guiding my child’s education. Ms. Katelyn would email me weekly to update me on his progress. Despite virtual learning and having an IEP, I know in her hands my son will be successful.

It is now the second wave of Covid and I am working in an Emergency Room filled to the brim with Covid positive patients. I assure you I thank God every day knowing I have Ms. Katelyn in my son’s corner again. I just want her to know how appreciative I am to have a teacher like her in our lives. When they say it takes a village to raise a child, I truly felt that with that staff at Espirito Santo School!

Nominee’s Name: Paula Bedard
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Nicole & Tim Fennell

We nominate Mrs. Paula Bedard. She is our triplet 1st graders teacher. She goes above and beyond each and everyday to teach our children and help support them in their learning. She has amazing patience, creativity and desire to see all children excel. It has not been uncommon during the past year for Mrs. Bedard to go door to door dropping of needed supplies to her students. We are very thankful our kids have Mrs. Bedard as their teacher.

Nominee’s Name: Cristina Viveiros-Serra
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Patricia Matos

St. James St. John School is a great school because of their leader, Mrs. Viveiros-Serra. She is what makes the school special. Mrs. Viveiros-Serra is involved with all the children, families, and community. She takes the time to know every child by name, and even their family. She understands what each child needs to in order to excel in learning. Regardless of what time or day, Mrs. Viveiros-Serra will always respond to my questions. She truly cares about everyone, and those are the characteristics displayed and taught at an early age to all the children at SJSJS. Mrs. Viveiros-Serra is always there to help any student, family, faculty member, and community with their needs. SJSJS will always help other families when they are in great need of support, love, and financial assistance.

Nominee’s Name: Robert LeBoeuf
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Natasha Boyd

I am of the opinion that all teachers should be regarded as we do medical practitioners and professional athletes- and be paid to commensurate this value. My 8th grader has had many math teachers during her academic career and Mr. LeBoeuf, in my opinion displays the essential qualities of a math teacher. I regard him highly. He challenges and engages his students and works through the process with them to ensure they understand. He works to make the subject interesting and he generally cares about their success. He isn’t too proud to show his vulnerabilities when technology challenges arise and welcomes student assistance. For these reasons I would like to nominate Mr. Robert LeBoeuf.

Nominee’s Name: Jamie Lynn Kelly
School Name: St. James-St. John
Nominated By: Julie Vareika

I would like to nominate Mrs. Jamie Lynn Kelly as a person who strives to make our school the best. Mrs. Kelly has three children that attend our school. Even with her busy schedule, she always finds the time to volunteer. Jamie has volunteered to help out at our book fairs, fun days, bake sales, field trips and she is a member of our PTO.

Jamie has been my room mom for 4 years. She is organized, responsible and dependable. During the pandemic, she continuously checked in on the staff to make sure they had everything they needed, including emotional support.
I wholeheartedly recommend that Mrs. Kelly receive recognition for helping to make our school the best it can be.

Nominee’s Name: Paula Bedard
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Maya Greige

Although I didn’t get to have Mrs.Bedard as a teacher, she is a good teacher who cares about her school and most importantly, she cares about all students.

Nominee’s Name: Charlotte Lourenco
School Name: St. Mary-Sacred Heart
Nominated By: Father Jack Schrader

During school shutdown she gathered the school each morning at 9am for morning prayer and announcements. It began our day with grace and normalcy in very challenging times.

Nominee’s Name: Paula Bedard
School Name: St. John the Evangelist
Nominated By: Karen Newman

I have been fortunate to have worked with Paula for over 20 years. I observed Paula teach, assist, comfort, cajole and help hundreds of students, parents and colleagues, in so many ways. As the first grade teacher, she tirelessly got each first grader to achieve and learn to their highest potential, in every subject, every school day. If students did not have a morning snack or lunch, she supplied it. I know that many times over the years when families were struggling financially, she reached into her own pocket to help.

With co-workers, she was also exceedingly generous. If we were short-staffed at recess or lunch, Paula was always the first to volunteer. If another teacher needed supplemental material, classroom coverage or advice, Paula was the first to help.
Over many years, when there was an emergency or problem of any kind, Paula’s quick thinking saved the day. When the entire bottom floor of the school flooded and school was canceled, she put on her boots and helped the janitor mop up so that school could continue the next day.

No one deserves to be recognized more than Paula Bedard.