Life in Classroom: Kim DePaolis wins teacher of the year honors

 by Mark Jahne

Editor

Kimberly DePaolis loves her job teaching pre-kindergarten at John Paterson School. She strives to perform at a high level and her peers took notice.

DePaolis, 32, was recently honored with the Teacher of the Year Award in the Newington Public Schools. She was selected for her skills and dedication to children and the teaching profession.

Other reasons stated by the district include how she values teamwork, strong communication skills, advocacy for students and a superior ability to inspire learning in children ages 3, 4 and 5. Also listed were her passion, dedication and creativity, as well as innovative teaching strategies and a personalized approach to each student.

Kimberly DePaolis was recently named the teacher of the year for the Newington Public Schools. She teaches pre-kindergarten at John Paterson School.

She is further credited with building strong relationships with students, parents and colleagues. Her classroom combines students with special needs with other students and the focus is on inclusion. DePaolis loves working with this young group of children and makes sure that they learn empathy and understanding and how to accept other languages and cultures.

“There is a place for everybody in this preschool classroom. We’re pretty lucky in town that our preschool program is expanding as rapidly as it is,” she said. “We tend to operate in a developmental model. My mom is a teacher as well.”

She teaches third grade at Hanmer School in Wethersfield. Her boyfriend teaches at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs.

“I grew up in town and I went to John Paterson,” DePaolis recalled.

She now teaches in the same classroom where she attended kindergarten. Her mother, and the teachers she had growing up, inspired her to join the profession. Some of her closest friends today are people she met in kindergarten.

A 2011 graduate of Newington High School, she earned degrees in early childhood education and child psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University. That was followed by a master’s degree in special education and autism behavior.

Then came a degree in special education from the University of Massachusetts. She also learned how to teach English for speakers of other languages.

“I have six students who are multilingual this year. I’m working on my doctorate at Central” Connecticut State University. “This is my 12^th year. I spent a little time at Anna Reynolds” School before moving to Paterson.

“A big part of my job is helping bridge state families from state services to the community and the schools,” DePaolis said.

She also interacts a lot with the parents of her students and praised the paraeducators who assist her.

“The paras who work in this classroom are the lifeblood of what we do,” she said.

She is humbled and pleased that her colleagues nominated her for this honor. She’s also pleased that her selection shines a light on pre-kindergarten programming.

“It highlights this sense of early childhood education,” she said. “There’s something magical about preschool. It’s a joy to work with this age group and their families. It makes me hopeful for the future,” DePaolis said.

“I like to read. I like to garden. I love to travel,” she added.

“Ms. DePaolis embodies what we want NPS to be for students and has a passion for her work, an ability to inspire learning in our youngest students, commitment to the district mission, enthusiasm, and deep compassion for her school community. They all strongly support her selection as Newington’s teacher of the year,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maurreen Brummett said. NL