VERNON, CT — Teachers, staff and administrators gathered at Rockville High School on Monday for the annual assembly to ring in the new school year (student report Thursday), hear praise for their achievements in the classroom, honor longtime staff members, welcome 35 new teachers and be reminded of “the important role they play in the lives of the children of Vernon,” said Vernon School Superintendent Joseph Macary.
He urged teachers to have high expectations of their students, give them thought-provoking assignments, always strive for success, and be the teacher they would want for their children.
“Build a relationship with each student,” Macary said. “Kids love teachers who care about them.”
The principal also praised teachers for their hard work, which was reflected in Vernon students’ rising test scores. Math scores have increased dramatically since 2016, although many districts have seen scores decline during the pandemic.
“When everyone else dropped off, we continued to improve and then moved up,” Macary said.
The results, which the state Department of Education will release, also contain good news for Vernon Public Schools, Macary told teachers. English and math scores continue to rise, he said.
Vernon students have also received National Blue Ribbon School designation from the U.S. Department of Education: Skinner Road School in 2023 and Northeast School in 2020. Northeast School has also been recognized as a School of Distinction by the Connecticut Department of Education for the past four years. Maple Street School received that designation this year.
The chairman of the Education Committee, Paul Grabowski, thanked the teachers for their hard work and
acknowledged the challenges they face, pointing to the problem of students using artificial intelligence to write assignments.
“These kinds of technologies are going to be challenging and are not going away,” he said. “We need to figure out how to make sure our students become critical thinkers.”
Grabowski also pledged his support and that of the board in working with teachers to overcome the challenges they face.
Peter Borofsky, president of the Vernon Education Association and a teacher at Rockville High School, told his colleagues that they are a team and can rely on each other.
“As we begin the new school year, know that you are never alone,” he said. “We can handle anything that comes our way, whether it’s new teaching methods, trying to keep our students up to speed on a daily basis, or just the ups and downs of what we do. Remember, it’s OK to ask for help, to support each other, and to take things one step at a time.”
Teacher of the Year Brian Stevenson took the stage to loud applause. The Vernon Center Middle
The reading interventionist at the school was praised by his colleagues for his hard work in getting students to grade-level reading levels and for his commitment to helping his students succeed.
“Be the teacher your students want to come back to, the one who pushes them to be the best version of themselves, not just as students but as people,” he told his colleagues. “Be the one who holds them accountable for their actions and who also picks them up and gives them another chance.”
