Music Teacher Selected as Simsbury’s Teacher of the Year

The 2017 Kathleen Magowan Simsbury Teacher of the Year is Simsbury High School (SHS) music teacher Colleen Thompson. An official announcement was made at the school district’s “welcome back” gathering for teachers on August 28, 2017.

Thompson’s professional work as a middle school and high school music educator is considered exemplary by her colleagues, but it is her support for students with special needs that puts her in a special category of teachers who truly change students’ lives. Throughout her career, Thompson has worked with many students with varying degrees of special needs, making sure that they are included to the fullest extent possible in her choir groups, at all skill levels. Whether it’s collaborating with music therapists or differentiating instruction, Thompson does whatever it takes to ensure that students with special needs are in harmony with their peers.

In her speech, Thompson acknowledged that Simsbury students not only excel academically but possess real strength of character. She attributed much of that good character to her fellow teachers. Said Thompson, “You are raising them right. The character of our students is no more evident than in the culture of inclusion we have created within our special needs community.”

Thompson explained why her approach works. She said, “We focus on teamwork from the very beginning. Every student is expected to give his best self, and his next responsibility is to provide his neighbor with any support he needs to succeed.”

Peer partnerships are so important, said Thompson, and not just for the students with special needs. She said, “There are so many kids who don’t fit in, who haven’t found their niche, who think they are not good at school. Some of these types of kids have found their purpose by becoming a positive example, a helper and a friend to a classmate with special needs. When students collaborate in this type of environment, they understand that we are stronger together, that it is better when we all succeed.”

Thompson’s speech was marked by a “grand finale” unlikely to ever be forgotten by her audience (you can view the video at https://www.simsbury.k12.ct.us/cf_media/index.cfm?g=363). As she began to sing the song “Be the Change” (lyrics attributed to Gandhi; music by Colin Britt and Marc Kaplan) a cappella, to her colleagues' amusement, several administrators, including Superintendent Matt Curtis, accompanied her on percussion instruments. But the real surprise came when dozens of students suddenly filed into the auditorium, blending their voices with their teacher’s.

Whether working together or singing together, no matter what challenges lie ahead, the teachers and students of the Simsbury Public Schools have set the tone for the new school year—striving together to make the world a better place.

About the Kathleen Magowan Teacher of the Year Program

Simsbury’s annual Teacher of the Year program honors former teacher Kathleen Magowan, a Simsbury elementary school teacher for 35 years, who upon her passing at the age of 87 on August 17, 2011, left a generous bequest to the district. The Teacher of the Year honoree traditionally receives funds from the district for professional development, and the Magowan Fund provides an additional $2,500 so that the honoree can attend a national conference of their choosing. With her designation as Simsbury’s Teacher of the Year, Thompson is eligible to compete for the honor at the state level. The Connecticut Teacher of the Year will be announced in October.