Danielson Rotary Club Teachers of the Year credit strong teams

DANIELSON — It would have been difficult to find a humbler group of award winners than the teachers recognized Monday by the Danielson Rotary Club during its 2015 Teacher of the Year Celebration.

To a person, each of the three educators — one recipient was traveling Monday — gave credit to their peers, their principals and their students for being honored as Teachers of the Year in their school or district.

“There’s nothing more important than the education of our children,” Rotary President Donna Mercier said. “And these teachers here tonight bring such an energy to their classrooms. I had three children graduate from Brooklyn and they all went to college and have great jobs. And that’s a testament to the teachers.”

Inside the Danielson Elks lodge on Center Street, Kerri Angelo, Lisa McCormack, Jason McGarry and Julie Fauxbel were feted by local and state leaders, as well as their fellow teachers and family members.

Angelo, a kindergarten teacher in the Killingly school district, said the award was a validation of not only her own but her peers’ work as well in bringing all-day kindergarten to the district.

“It’s all about the kids, not about one individual,” Angelo said. “You don’t get here without a strong team.”

For McCormack, Brooklyn’s Teacher of the Year recipient, the award was secondary to what it represented.

“It’s nice that my peers think well enough of me, because I respect them so much,” the sixth-grade teacher said. “I believe that every child can learn and that every day is a new challenge. I have the opportunity to teach, but also to learn from my students.”

The event was significant enough that Killingly officials postponed a set of public hearings in order to attend, Killingly Town Council Chairman John Hallbergh said.

While Fauxbel, Teacher of the Year for St. James Parochial School in Danielson, was unable to attend the gala, there was no shortage of people willing to praise her in absentia. Kelly Salvas, Fauxbel’s assistant, said the elementary school teacher carries herself in a way that puts students at ease.

“We had a student — not even one in Julie’s class — that broke a window,” Salvas said. “And Julie was the one the student told. He did what was right and telling Julie made him feel good.”

McGarry, Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School’s Teacher of the Year, said his award was the culmination of work done by all the school’s teachers.

“They inspire me to be the best I can be,” he said. “And, in turn, that makes me work harder. It’s a blessing to be among staff and students that allow me to be the teacher I am. But in class, not much has changed. I’m still Mr. McGarry.”