Lesley King, a Second Grade teacher at Poquonock Elementary School in Windsor, Conn., has been named the Windsor Public Schools’ “Teacher of the Year.”
King, who has taught elementary school children for a decade, was nominated and selected by her peers for this honor. As part of the process, she wrote an essay about her personal approach to teaching, was interviewed by a panel of judges, and was observed while teaching her students. She will be formally honored at the school district’s Opening Day Meeting in August as well as at the September Board of Education meeting. In addition, she will pursue the application process for Connecticut Teacher of the Year.
“We congratulate Lesley King on her selection as Windsor’s Teacher of the year,” stated Windsor Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey A. Villar. “She is totally committed to developing innovative teaching strategies for every one of her students, always seeking the best way to encourage them to learn and succeed. We are very fortunate to have her on our team.”
King is completing her fourth year of teaching second graders at Poquonock Elementary School. In her classroom, she promotes the essential qualities that students require to become lifelong learners. She was recognized as “Poquonock School’s Teacher of the Year” in 2011. King came to Windsor in 2008 from Barnard Brown Elementary School in Hartford, Conn. where she was the school’s Reading First Literacy Internal Facilitator for three years, responsible for coordinating the Kindergarten through Grade 2 literacy instruction, tutoring and on site professional development. Prior to that job, she was a second and third grade teacher at Barnard Brown for several years.
“I believe that one of the most significant responsibilities of being a teacher is to awaken a love for learning in my students,” explained Lesley King. “I focus on the effect that motivation has on the students I teach. I use goal setting as a means to accelerate student progress, connect classroom learning to the world that the students live in on a regular basis, and incorporate student interests as often as possible.”
King graduated cum laude from Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. with a Bachelors degree in Spanish and a concentration in Elementary Education. She received her Masters degree in Elementary Reading and Literacy – Kindergarten through Grade 6 – from Marygrove College in Detroit, Mich. King lives in South Windsor, Conn. with her husband, Mike, and their son, Tyler.
For information about the Windsor Board of Education and any of its schools, visit www.windsorct.org or call (860) 687-2000.
