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Educator Recognition Programs

Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Brochure 2007

Contact information:
2007 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year
Jessie L. Auger
Rafael Hernández School
Boston Public Schools
email : jauger@boston.k12.ma.us
telephone : 781-338-3635

Letter from the Commissioner of Education

June 29, 2006

Dear Friends,

Teaching is both an art and science; the most difficult, most rewarding and most important of careers. While all classroom teachers should be recognized on a daily basis, the National Teacher of the Year Program is the oldest and most prestigious awards program that focuses public attention annually on excellence in teaching. Since 1952, the national program (co-sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and ING in partnership with Scholastic Inc.) has recognized and honored the contributions of classroom teachers by granting one outstanding teacher a year's paid sabbatical. During that year, the teacher travels the nation and meets with a wide variety of audiences to address educational issues.

The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Program is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with Hannaford Supermarkets. Each year the program honors a Massachusetts teacher who exemplifies fine teaching in the Commonwealth. The purpose of the program is to select a teacher who is worthy of speaking for and energizing the teaching profession, and representing the positive contributions of all teachers statewide. The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year automatically becomes the state's candidate for the National Teacher of the Year Program.

The selection process for the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year begins early in the calendar year with a call for nominations. An independent panel of experts, including past Teachers of the Year, reviewed written applications, interviewed 6 finalists, and recommended a candidate for my consideration for this year's honor.

I wish to thank the following corporations and organizations for supporting the 2007 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Program: American Federation of Teachers - Massachusetts; the Boston Celtics; eInstruction Corp.; Hannaford Supermarkets; Immersive Education Ltd.; Massachusetts Teachers Association; SMART Technologies, Inc.; Teacher Leadership Academy; and Verizon.

I am proud to present the 2007 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, Jessie L. Auger of the Rafael Hernández School in Roxbury. We wish her much energy and happiness in the year ahead.

Sincerely,

David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education

Meet the 2007 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year

Jessie L. Auger
Rafael Hernández School
Boston Public Schools

Jessie Auger teaches first grade in Spanish and English at the Rafael Hernández two-way bilingual school in Roxbury. She has a deep commitment to her community as a teacher, learner and citizen, and being bilingual is of vital importance to her participation in the community.

Over the course of sixteen years of teaching, Jessie has worked locally, nationally, and internationally to foster educational excellence. She has provided workshops on the teaching of mathematics, poetry and the use of programmable media. As a member and delegation leader of the Cambridge-El Salvador Sister City Project, Jessie travels frequently to the rural village of San José Las Flores. There, she works with Boston area and Salvadoran teachers engaging in critical dialogue with the community. In order to create connections between U.S. and Salvadoran youth, she has created whole-school fundraising projects and pen-pal relationships that strengthen students' sense of global community and responsibility.

What makes teachers be able to stay and accumulate successes is a strong sense of collegiality and teamwork. At the Hernández Jessie works closely with the five other teachers on the K-1 team to provide high-quality integrated curriculum that meets the needs of the wide range of learners. This year with her colleagues she was honored as USA Today's Teacher Team of the Year. What gives Jessie the greatest satisfaction is seeing her students develop skills with joy and excitement, filled with pride in their newly created competence.

Consultation Topics

2-Way Bilingual Education
Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners
Integrated Curriculum
Creating a Community of Learners
Constructivist Approach to Mathematics Teaching

Former Teachers of the Year

* National Teacher of the Year Finalist