UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Last weekend, at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center, the Connecticut Education Association honored Danbury teacher Lori Woodruff with its highest teaching award, the John McCormack Award for Teaching Excellence, according to a CEA release.
Woodruff, a fourth-grade teacher at the Academy for International Studies Magnet School, was celebrated during the CEA’s 176th annual Representative Assembly. Woodruff has been teaching in Danbury for 30 years, according to the release, and is committed to forming lifelong relationships with her students and their families.
“Forming relationships with students and families is my number one priority,” Woodruff said, in the release. “For my students, making them feel safe and comfortable allows them to take risks, make mistakes and want to learn, and provides an environment for each child to be exactly who he/she is. My students learn that I am an imperfect person, so, therefore, they can be too.”
CEA President Kate Dias said Woodruff’s colleagues describe her as kind and compassionate and the “mother” of the school.
“Lori is deeply devoted to her students, is involved in all aspects of her school community, and works tirelessly to ensure that every student feels valued and supported,” Dias said, in the release.
The release noted that Woodruff is humble and soft-spoken but fights for her convictions and to ensure students and staff have the resources they need to be successful. In addition to being a union advocate, she’s served as a building representative at AIS Magnet School since 2013 and is a member of the NEA Danbury Political Action Team, the release said.
Christopher Roche, Danbury Public Schools chief of schools K-8 and the former principal of AIS Magnet School, said Woodruff is more than a teacher – he said she is a leader, a motivator, a collaborator and an educator who believes in making a difference in her students lives, according to the release.
“Lori’s advocacy for public education is without equivocation. She is resolute in her mission to ensure that all students have the fundamental right to a high-quality, accessible and equitable public educational experience,” Roche said.
For nearly 20 years, Woodruff has been a Special Olympics coach, and she is known throughout the community for supporting public education, the release said, adding that she regularly works with Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves and his staff to make sure Danbury teachers are supported so that students can be adequately and thoroughly educated.
Fellow AIS Magnet School teacher Matthew Calvanese has worked with Woodruff since 2010 and said she holds herself to extremely high standards, noting in the release that she helps students grow despite teaching writing, which is not everybody’s favorite class.
“Through a combination of whole class lessons and individual conferences, Lori is able to inspire students to take risks in their writing leading to extensive growth,” Calvanese said, in the release. “In addition, Lori inspires students through her science lessons. Year after year, students comment how they loved the lessons and activities Lori uses in class.”
The release said that the John McCormack Award for Teaching Excellence is a highly competitive award that evaluates teachers on professional practice, community engagement, leadership in professional development, attention to diversity and advocacy for the profession.
Woodruff received a $2,000 cash honorarium from the CEA and will attend the Salute to Education Gala in Washington, D.C. next spring, according to the release. She is also the CEA’s nominee for the NEA Foundation’s NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence.
“From raising trout, to learning how to greet someone in Japanese, to spending extra time teaching my son how to improve his writing and creating the kindest classroom, there is no teacher that I would recommend over Lori Woodruff,” PTO President Jade O’Connell said. “Her hand is always the first to go up; she rallies other staff members to also join and creates an environment where others want to help.”
----
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
----
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com.
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
