Salem High School Staff Honored as Members of the Month

The following Salem High School staff members were selected as the Staff Member of the Month for September, October, and November.

Greta Gauthier, a Guidance Counselor, was selected for September. Her nomination by a parent states that “Greta is truly amazing in her approach with my two children at SHS. We are new to her this year, and she has shown patience and warmth to their individual needs. Greta fosters independence in both of my children while also keeping me in the loop on events that may happen over the school day. She is an active listener and responds to their and my needs with excellent options for both the students and the families. We could not be happier with every interaction we have had so far this year. Kudos Greta !!”

Colleen Santo, a Special Education Case Manager, was selected for October. Her nomination by a staff member states that “Colleen is always available for her students and for her colleagues. I have witnessed Colleen work with students in a classroom, be called away to a meeting, receive a phone call from a concerned parent, and have former students come looking for her for help in a class, all in the same day. She is able to handle all of these situations while making everyone feel that they had her full attention. She is one of the hardest working people I have worked with, handling each situation with the professionalism and caring that it deserves. Colleen helps students obtain eyeglasses to be able to see in class, brings in snacks for students who do not always have food available to them, and brings in clothing for students whose families are not able to provide these things for them. Prior to mid-terms and finals, Colleen sets up study group times after school for her students to be sure they are ready for their exams. Colleen handles all of this without complaining – this is her job, and you can see her devotion to it and to her students. She treats her coworkers with the utmost respect and is always willing to listen to and seek out their opinions when there is a concern. Any colleague, student, or parent who has the opportunity to work with Colleen can be assured that she will handle anything that comes to her with the professionalism and attention that it deserves. It is with great pleasure that I nominate Colleen Santo for Staff Member of the Month.”

Mike Jolicoeur, a Social Studies teacher, was selected for November. His nomination by a parent states that “I want to nominate Mr. Jolicoeur for the positive effect his teaching style has had on our youngest child. We’ve had two other children graduate from SHS, and, in the twelve years we’ve had children attending there, we have never seen one adult have such a profound effect on a student. Because of Mr. Jolicoeur’s easy going personality, positive attitude, and love of the subject, our son has also become a fanatic of the subject. The year after taking his class, he decided to take two additional history classes. He enjoys them and is excited to go to school each morning. When he has to schedule a medical appointment during the day, he makes sure it will not conflict with these classes. Every night he talks about what he learned that day in class, and he has a passion for learning more outside of the classroom. During a recent college search, he took into consideration locations that offered history classes. My husband and I would love to see him teach history because the gift he has been given should be shared. While he may not choose history as a career, the value of what he has learned from studying the past has made him very rich. Thank you Mr. Jolicoeur for doing such a great job and keep up the good work!”

A well-deserved congratulations and thank you to these staff members.