Mrs Megan Bernier, kindergarden teacher at Paxton Center School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the March 2013 Teacher of the Month.

Winning Letter:

I would like to nominate Mrs. Megan Bernier at Paxton Center School. Mrs. Bernier is a kindergarten teacher and she is absolutely wonderful. Mrs. Bernier makes everyday a discovery wonderland for all her students. She is laid back and fun and loves all her students fiercely. She divides the day into many interactive and highly educational activities. She prints her own books for each of her students, and lets them keep the books to build their home library. She works late everyday to prepare for the next day activities. My son Alex is in her class and he can’t wait to go to school and see what they are doing that day. She welcomes each child’s individuality and taps right into their strengths. There are not enough words to describe Mrs. Bernier’s teaching and persona. I thank my lucky stars everyday that my son has her.

Ms Kayla Mezzano, second grade teacher at Abby Foster Kelly Charter School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the Februrary 2013 Teacher of the Month.

Winning Letter:

I am typing this for my 8 year old daughter Paige Samara, she goes to Abby Kelley Foster Charter School here in Worcester, MA.  She is in the 2^nd grade and her teacher is Ms. Kayla Mezzano.  My daughter speaks very highly of her.  She is doing well in school and excelling.  She loves to go to school, and she taught her so much.  She is learning many things and she just received her progress report and the teacher tells us she is a pleasure to have and she always has a smile.  She is going to go to the 3^rd grade because of Ms Mezzano and loves getting up just to see what she is going to teach next and going to school (which a lot of kids cannot say that).  Ms Mezzano says she is reading above grade level.  I know that it is very important  for a student to enjoy to go to school and Ms Mezzano the  teacher plays a big role in a student’s education.  I just want to say Thank you to Ms Mezzano for everything and I feel she should be the teacher of the month.  Thanks WSRS for running this contest and I feel more people should take the time to do this for their child’s teacher as well.

Mrs Whittemore, third grade teacher at Leicester Memorial School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the December 2012 Teacher of the Month. 

Winning Letter:

I would like to nominate Amanda Whittemore  3rd grade teacher at Leicester Memorial School, Leicester, Ma on behalf of my child, Riley Nicholson and myself, Heidi Nicholson.  Although my daughter is in the 5th grade, she has had the wonderful opportunity of working with Mrs. Whittemore. Last year Mrs. Whittemore formed the first student council at the Memorial School and has done numerous activities and fund raisers with the children to help out the community.  She came into the school during summer vacation to help the children make a back to school gifts for each teacher. She has given so much of her time teaching these children how to give back to others and my child and I are so very thankful to have someone so caring and generous in our lives.  She has 4 small children of her own with her oldest child being under the age of 11.  She recently took the student council children to the Leicester food pantry, after school to help assemble food baskets for Christmas which were taken to families in need.  It is so important for our children to learn how to give back and she is such an important role model to these children.  With that being said, I feel she should be recognized for all her efforts.  

Mrs Kambosis, Biology Teacher at Doherty Memorial High School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the November 2012 Teacher of the Month.

Winning letter:

The Teacher I decided to nominee is Katerina Kambosos, Of Doherty Memorial High, Worcester MA. She is both a biology teach and a  huge part of the AVID program. AVID is a college prep cores ( Advance Via Individual Determination ) Though keeping kids organized is part of her job she is one of the best teachers I've ever had here for 2 years and three classes Bio I, and AVID  I & II. What makes here so great is the fact that she never gives up and tries her hardest to challenge us like never before.    
She sometimes spends her OWN money to get us supplies and fun activities to help us get into college. She works on or weaknesses and had us apply our skills. I have never been this organized before in my life. I would be a failing mess without her! A lot of kids say she's hard/mean but all of them say their a better person for it. I remember her being one of the view people supporting me when I wanted to go to college in Japan or even now that I want to be  a Cop. She's helping us self-discover, leaning to grow up and most importantly get into a "four year college." 

Ms. Tracy Lawernce, math teacher at Montview Middle School in Holden, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the October 2012 Teacher of the Month.

Wining Letter:

My name is Mannieten and I would like to nominate my Math teacher Ms.Tracy Lawrence of Mountview Middle school, Holden as teacher of the month. Though math is hard, she is patient and encouraging and she challenges us.

 In 6^th grade, she came to class with a nationwide contest she found on-line called “MathMovesU” and encouraged us to do the project that required answering the question: “How does math put the action in your passion.” I was one of the students that did the project. It was challenging but Ms. Lawrence encouraged me not to give up. I finally completed and sent it in. To my amazement, I was selected as a winner and awarded a $1000 scholarship, and a matching grant was awarded to my school.

Because of Ms.Tracy’s teaching and guidance, I have some money to attend a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) summer camp or to save it for college.

Please choose Ms. Tracy for her hard work, patience motivation and dedication and always looking out for her students. 

Mrs. Judith Gosselin, eighth grade math teacher at Grafton Middle School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the September 2012 Teacher of the Month.

Mrs Bethany Killeen, fifth grade teacher at Paxton Center School, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the June 2012 Teacher of the Month!

Winning Letter:

 I would like to nominate Mrs. Bethany Killeen from Paxton Center Middle School. She is the most kind, understanding and caring teacher in fifth grade. She is very devoted to her students and genuinely shows concern when they are in need. She has helped my daughter when she has had tough times, especially because we moved here recently. She just had a baby and she’s sleep deprived and still great!! Please choose her.

Mr. Glenn Tucker, fifth grade teacher at Lake View School in Worcester, was honored by WSRS and Country Bank as the May 2012 Teacher of the Month.

Winning Letter:

My children and I would like to nominate Glenn Tucker a teacher for the Worcester Public Schools as Teacher of the Month. He is an outstanding educator who as a parent I feel he goes above and beyond. My oldest son had him at The Goddard School of Science and Technology and he opened him up to NASA where that next year Jason won the city projects fair with a Rocket Project with information Mr. Tucker was able to give him. Two years later my son Sean was in his class at Lake View where Mr. Tucker teaches now and hopefully the rest of my children will have the opportunity to have Mr. Tucker as a teacher. Sean is the type of student who needs alot of pushing but Mr. Tucker made him come out of his shell. My son Connor looks forward to a high five everyday from Mr. Tucker he says he is the "Best Teacher" he can not wait to have him as a teacher. I have attached letters from 2 of my sons I could get most of his students to write a letter without pushing this is how fantastic he is. Below is the email I sent orginally. Thank you for consideration, I hope Mr. Tucker is chosen for Teacher of the Month.

Mrs Galli, Choral Director for Shephard Hill Regional High School, was honored by WSRS and Country bank as the Teacher of the Month for April 2012.

Winning Letter:

I would like to nominate Mrs. Connie Galli for Teacher of the Month.  Mrs. Galli is the Choral Director at Shepherd Hill Regional High School for the Dudley/Charlton School District.

Mrs. Galli has been an instrumental part of the Shepherd Hill Show Choirs, Illusion ( all female choir ) and Fantasy ( mixed choir ) for the past 15+ years. 

 The Show Choirs compete locally throughout New England and have an outstanding record for placing Gold or Silver during the competitions. 

 This past March both groups ventured to New York city to partake in FAME, a nationally sponsored Show Choir event.  To her surprise as well as both groups, Illusion placed 1^st Runner Up and Fantasy placed 3^rd Runner Up sealing two spots for FAME Nationals to be held in Chicago on April 20^th. 

 Both groups needed to raise a total of $40,000 to attend this event.  While we worked hard as a group to raise the money, Mrs. Galli spent countless hours at the school often until 11pm trying to arrange our transportation, hotel and activities while trying to not tap into the parents pocketbooks.   Not only was she there late into the evenings, she worked with both Choirs to make them even better than what they were in New York.  Her motivation was phenomenal.  We had 3 ½ weeks to raise this money and we raised the entire $40,000!   

We performed in Chicago on April 20^th and while we did not place, the life time experience that Mrs. Galli gave us will always be a highlight of my high school education.  Mrs. Galli, Illusion and Fantasy had never had the opportunity to attend Nationals until this year. 

We are like a family, we cry together and we laugh together and without the dedication and hard work that Mrs. Galli puts forth, our family would not be.

I am proud to be one of her students an she is so deserving of this award!!