Bunnell Teacher To Be Inducted Into National Hall Of Fame

STRATFORD, CT — Longtime Bunnell High School teacher Kristen Record received the surprise of a lifetime Thursday when she learned that she was one of only five career teachers across the nation that will be inducted into the latest class of the National Teachers Hall of Fame.

Family members and friends joined in a celebration after the surprise was revealed at a meeting Thursday morning. Bunnell Principal Dr. Katie Graf worked hard to keep the event a secret until Thursday.

A 22-year veteran of teaching, Record is a physics teacher for grades 9 through 12 at Bunnell High School in Stratford. She is the sixth teacher from Connecticut to be inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame, joining Anna Alfiero, Dr. Gerard Brooker, Robert Coleman, and Dr. David Bosso, and Rep. Christopher Poulos (who nominated Record for induction).

In June, Record will join four other teachers from Florida and Texas for a series of recognition events in Emporia, Kansas, which include a livestreamed roundtable discussion, participating in community events, rededicating the National Memorial to Fallen Educators, and being honored at the induction banquet and ceremony.

The five Class of 2023 inductees will also be honored in May at a reception hosted by the National Education Association in Washington, D.C. as a follow-up to National Teacher Appreciation Day.

“Kristen regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty and has dedicated her entire adult life to teaching high school science,” Graf said in a news release. “She holds her students to high expectations; she also recognized the growing needs of our diverse, transient population and supports students through differentiation, scaffolding, and extra help sessions.”

Read more from the news release below:

Dr. Nancy Dowling, her former principal now retired, said: “Kristen’s content mastery, understanding of pedagogy, and rapport with students are assets that inspire all learners to follow her lead and not only master but to then love the science that shapes the world around them. She epitomizes the highest standards of instruction, collegiality, mentoring, and coaching.”

Dr. Tehmina Khan, Science Department Head, described Kristen as a teacher leader: “During faculty meetings, department meetings, and professional development, Kristen leads activities that engage teachers in meaningful conversations for professional growth. She has played a pivotal role in developing teacher leaders in our district, state, and nation.” Dr. Khan added: “Kristen is a compassionate and empathetic educator who is attentive to our students’ individual needs, different cultural backgrounds, and has demonstrated innovative strategies to support the success of all students.”

Laura Caserta, former student, noted: “If the world could have more educators like Kristen Record, we would have a world filled with children who were loved, cared for, and limitless in their possibilities for life. Ms. Record has changed my life. I am an educator now; if I could give my students just a part of the education Ms. Record afforded to me, their minds would buzz with possibilities.”

Don and Britta Feliciana, parents of current and former students, explained the impact of Ms. Record on their three children: “Ms. Record is a ‘rock star’ among teachers. She teaches complex concepts in a way that sparks interest in her students. By sharing real-world connections and involving her students in the learning process, Ms. Record’s students can’t help but love physics. Her acts of care and kindness have surely left an indelible mark on her students. Ms. Record has inspired all our children as learners!”

Record received her Bachelor of Science degree Magna cum laude from Fairfield University in 1999 and her Master of Education degree in Learning and Teaching with a focus on Science Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2000. In 2006, She received a 6th Year Advanced Graduate Certificate in Science Instruction and Study from Southern Connecticut State University.

Record was the 2011 Connecticut State Teachers of the Year. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation in 2009. In 2014, she was a national STEM Policy Institute Fellow with MIT and George Washington University. In 2015, she received the NEA Foundation’s California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence. She is a member of the 100Kin10 Forum and the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council. She co-chairs the Voya National STEM Fellowship for the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, serves on the Commission for Instruction and Professional Development for the Connecticut Education Association, is a Representative Assembly delegate to the National Education Association, and regularly presents at National Science Teachers Association conferences.

Record describes her teaching style: “I want students to experience the beauty of science; to see how physics is the basis of all the other sciences, that it is around them in their everyday lives. Rows of seats are antithetical to digging deep into questioning concepts and problem solving. Arranged into ‘pods’ of desks and flexible space, my classroom is a-buzz with conversation and movement. Nothing makes my teacher’s heart happier than sitting and listening to my students debate, struggle, and figure out things together. I teach in a Title I school where 70% of the students are students of color. There is a place for every student in a physics class. I create space for my students to bring their authentic selves into my classroom. Every student has something to offer, and it is my job to design a variety of learning experiences for success.”

The five educators to be inducted were selected for the Class of 2023 by a national selection committee which met in February.

“The selection committee is composed of representatives from national educational organizations, corporate partners, and NTHF Membership. The committee evaluates the nominees on responses to questions regarding their professional profile, their teaching both inside and outside the classroom, educational issues and accountability,” said Ken Weaver, Deputy Director of the NTHF. “It’s always a tough decision because all of the twenty-four semi-finalists are deserving. The committee carefully examines what each candidate has done and is doing for the teaching profession as they try to determine finalists and then inductees. This is truly an honor to be named as one of only five teachers in the nation to be selected this year.”

The National Teachers Hall of Fame was founded in Emporia, KS in 1989 to honor teachers and the teaching profession through a recognition program and museum. Nominees must be certified public or non-public schoolteachers, active or retired, with at least 20 years of experience in teaching grades preK-12. Since the inaugural induction ceremonies in 1992, 150 educators from 41 states and the District of Columbia have been inducted. This year's class of inductees represents the 31st anniversary of NTHF induction ceremonies, when the Class of 2023 will be inducted. Inducted alphabetically, Record will be number 154 in the Hall of Fame.

Some of the major awards each inductee will receive include:

• A signet ring and lapel pin presented by Herff Jones, Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana)
• A large bronze sculpture of the bell tower (the NTHF logo)
• A framed personalized print of a one-room schoolhouse classroom from American Fidelity