Farmington Resident Receives Prestigious Honors

Sacred Heart Academy Dean of Academic Affairs Sibani Sengupta, Ph.D. was recently selected the 2014-2015 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) High School Level Exemplary Educator of the Year and the recipient of the 2014 Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts Local Hero Award.

She was formally recognized for both awards at a CAS celebration on Nov. 19 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

The CAS Exemplary Educator Award recognizes outstanding educators who have had a positive impact on their school and/or district. Nominees for these awards must have demonstrated excellence in education, involvement with students, staff and parents in and out of the classroom, and leadership in their profession.

As the Exemplary Educator of the Year Finalist, Sengupta was eligible for the RMHC Local Hero Award that honors 10 outstanding teachers from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to area students each year.

“The talent pool we had to choose from was of the highest quality and that Dr. Sengupta rose to the top is a credit to her and to Sacred Heart Academy for recognizing and supporting her application,” CAS Assistant Executive Director Regina Birdsell said in a press release.

In her letter of nomination, Sr. Mary Jane Paolella, ASCJ said that Sengupta is an “outstanding science teacher who utilizes every single pedagogical tool she has gleaned from workshops and courses, or read about in science educational journals in addition to incorporating research techniques in her laboratory.”

“Her students undoubtedly benefit from her utilization of technology and from the time she spends devising creative, imaginative lessons that are extremely successful and engaging,” Paolella said. “She comes to school excited about a new idea, an ingenious approach to a new lesson and she is well prepared to share it with others and present it to her students.”

Sengupta left a career as a research scientist to teach high school and has been an extremely dedicated educator ever since. Joining the Sacred Heart faculty in 2003, she served as chair of the science department for six years and this year was named dean of academic affairs. In addition to her new duties as dean, she continues to teach AP biology, human gene discovery, and microbiology.

In 2009, Sengupta was selected by The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain as the recipient of the Alma Exley Scholarship Award which recognizes Connecticut teachers of color who show strong classroom teaching dedication.

In 2010, Sengupta was the recipient of the Outstanding Biology Teacher of Connecticut Award.

Former Sacred Heart Academy Dean of Academic Affairs David Alexandro said Sengupta’s students experience “not only expectations for excellence in the classroom, but are supported to meet the challenges that she provides for them.”

“An example of her ability to challenge her students was with a procedure for RNA and DNA sequencing that impacted the science world and was published in The American Biology Teacher magazine,” Alexandro said.

Recently her article, “Bringing RNA Interference (RNAi) into the High School Classroom,” was selected for publication in the “How to Do It” section of American Biology Teacher, November December 2013 issue.

Sengupta and her husband Dr. Tapas Bandyopadhyay are the proud parents of daughter Mitali – a member of the Class of 2016 at Sacred Heart, and son Ronit. They are residents of Farmington.