GAINFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER HONORED AT TEACHER OF THE YEAR CEREMONY

Ms. Rima Zelvis is Region 15 Teacher of the Year

Gainfield Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Rima Zelvis received a special honor last month as Region 15’s Teacher of the Year at a special ceremony at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford to honor teachers around the state. Ms. Zelvis attended the ceremony with her family and Gainfield Elementary School principal, John Mudry.

 “I wouldn’t be here today without the untiring support of the parents, the school system, and the community,” said Ms. Zelvis, a teacher for over nine years. “It is truly a pleasure to work for a principal who is so supportive and takes the time to develop my strengths so I can become a better teacher. When Mr. Mudry comes into my classroom, I don’t know whether he’ll be staying for five minutes or an hour, but I do know that I’ll get some valuable feedback that I can use immediately and I appreciate that.”

 Ms. Zelvis was selected from all the Region 15 teachers by parents, staff, and students. Her name was then given to the Connecticut State Department of Education which selects the statewide Teacher of the Year. Sponsored by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Division of Teaching and Learning, and Aetna Financial Services, the program, which began in 1952, begins with the selection of a teacher of the year in each local district, and continues to the national level, where the Connecticut Teacher of the Year becomes eligible for national honors.

 Teacher of the Year programs recognize and honor teacher excellence. They do not attempt to select the "best" teacher; rather, they celebrate excellence in teaching by recognizing teachers who have inspired a love for learning in their students and who have distinguished themselves in the profession.

 Rima Zelvis has over ten years of education and reading/language arts background from Assumption College, University of Bridgeport and Central Connecticut State University. She has been the designer and presenter of school workshops on multiple intelligences, guided reading, and connecting science to literature. A member of the National Education Association and the Connecticut Reading Association, Ms. Zelvis was also a key member of the Region 15 Board of Education Strategic Plan Action Plan. In 1999, Ms. Zelvis received the Region 15 Celebration of Excellence Award.

 “This honor as Region 15 Teacher of the Year is a reflection of the guidance given to me by my parents. They have provided me with support and a work ethic that I admire and use as a model for my own habits. It is a joy to work with my students and such a supportive group of parents and staff,” said Ms. Zelvis. “To be selected this year from such a tremendous number of hard-working teachers and staff in our district makes this honor so special.”