Elizabeth O'Neill Receives Anna Seaver Award

On the day before the winter break begins in December, Northborough has a tradition of honoring one or more teachers for their overall excellence and contributions to the school system. The award is called the Anna Seaver Award in honor of a Northborough teacher of the past who left money in her will for this annual award. Although the $40 cash award doesn’t go as far as it used to, the recipients honored are proud to receive the award.

One of the two winners this year was Elizabeth M. O'Neill, a fourth grade teacher from Proctor School with almost 20 years of teaching experience working at Proctor School since 2002. Prior to working in Northborough Mrs. O’Neill worked at Ward School in Newton.

O’Neill was commended for “creating a well-defined, positive learning community in her classroom where everyone feels connected and is able to succeed. Mrs. O’Neill is the teacher that many former students remember fondly … she leaves a lasting impression of being fair, honest, and fun!”

Mrs. O’Neill’s classroom tells a story - a story of a teacher who spends a lot of time creating a comfortable and inviting environment for her students. It is easy to see that Mrs. O’Neill is a patient teacher who takes pride in her profession.  She has pride in her students, respect for her colleagues and a genuine interest in teaching as well as learning from her students.  While appreciating that all her students have different needs, she feels “seeing children struggle and ultimately succeed is exciting for a teacher."

Growing up attending several different public elementary and middle schools throughout the Northeast and graduating from Hopkinton High School has made O’Neill a proponent of public education. She finds the cultural diversity an environment which nurtures tolerance and respect as well as offering opportunities to learn and teach about various customs and holidays, which may be unfamiliar to her students. She enjoys seeing her ESL (English as Second Language) students develop their vocabulary with her help and the help of their fellow students. 

It was during her undergraduate studies at Framingham State College that she became interested in exploring the various and unique ways people, specifically children learn. Getting to know each student, their strengths, weaknesses and unique gifts O’Neill likens to “solving a puzzle."  

While she has taught at third, fourth and fifth grade levels, it is the fourth grade O’Neill enjoys most. The growing independence of her students, their eagerness to learn and their social development are just a few things she enjoys about the nine and ten year old students she teaches.

Her life is devoted to both teaching and learning. She recently received her Master’s Degree in  Curriculum and Instruction for Literacy from Leslie University during an intense and concentrated weekend study program, no small feat for a teacher who works from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 or 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition to her very hands on teaching in the classroom, she is also an educator of her colleagues by acting as a mentor to the new teachers at Proctor School as well as serving as co-chair of the Math Committee, which represents the four elementary schools in Northborough developing best practices and assembling guidelines and future goals for implementation across the district.  She considers her planning research and believes that a good teacher should also be a good student, realizing that one can learn from those they teach.

Inspired by a former colleague in Newton, several years ago Mrs. O’Neill developed an after school program available to the third, fourth and fifth graders at Proctor School focusing on studying Greek and Roman Mythology in preparation for the National Mythology Exam. Each year she has anywhere from 40 to 60 students that participate in the program which runs for three consecutive Tuesday afternoon study groups during the month of February.  During the study various learning tools are used, such as playing a version of ‘Jeopardy’ with questions focusing on the subject matter of Greek and Roman Mythology. 

Mrs. O’Neill finds the independent study group a confidence booster for the students which offers an opportunity to set an attainable academic goal by taking the exam which is different every year, making the study group suitable for students who wish to participate consecutive years.

One of the most rewarding experiences for Mrs. O’Neill is when she has a former student visits her and lets her know the impact she had on their lives. Many credit the independent Greek Mythology Study Group with preparing them for the more challenging academic material they are exposed to in subsequent school years.

Mrs. O’Neill considers the principal of Proctor School Margaret Donohoe her teaching mentor providing her with encouragement, open mindedness and patience over the years.  While she enjoys all aspects of her job, it is working with “the students, great colleagues and working as part of a team with other teachers both in Northborough and across the district” that she enjoys the most.

Mrs. O’Neill lives in Worcester with her husband Brendan and her cat Rosie.