Teacher Of The Year Works At Narragansett High

NARRAGANSETT, RI — Rhode Island's Teacher of the Year works at Narragansett High. Kristin Hayes-Leite has been a social studies teacher at Narragansett High School for the past 16 years, and currently serves as Social Studies Department Chair. During a school assembly on Thursday, Gov. Gina Raimondo and Commissioner of Education Ken Wagner surprised her with the news.

"Kristin embodies everything that we look for in great teachers," Raimondo said. "She is a leader, she is innovative, she is compassionate, and she is completely committed to her students."

At Narragansett High School, Hayes-Leite has created and teaches new elective courses, including Contemporary Issues, and Law and Society. She is also a member of the Blended Learning Catalyst Team and was recently named to Narragansett High School's Fuse Architect pilot design team, which is charged with creating and piloting systems to increase personalization and student engagement in learning.

"This year's State of Education address was entitled, 'Creating Pathways to Opportunity,' and that is exactly what Kristin Hayes-Leite has done for her students. She creates student-centered pathways to relevant, engaging, and rigorous opportunities in and out of the classroom," Wagner said.

Hayes-Leite's selection comes as no surprise to her students. As one 12th grader writes, "One thing you should know is Mrs. Hayes works so hard for what she loves. She puts in so much time for all students, and presents each and every one with the same help and opportunity, and always treats us with respect."

A native Rhode Islander, Hayes-Leite is a graduate of Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire. She holds master's degrees in both teaching and reading from Rhode Island College. She is a member of the National Council on the Social Studies, the Rhode Island Society of Technology Educators, and the International Reading Association. She was the 2016 Narragansett Employee of the Year, and was awarded the Horace Mann Abraham Lincoln Fellowship in 2010.

In her Teacher of the Year application, Hayes-Leite wrote, "In this field of public education, I am surrounded by heroes: students, teachers, families, and administrators, who individually persist in the epic struggle to obtain or deliver a quality education. It is time to stand up for one another and take pride in public education."

As Teacher of the Year, she will help the state education department to develop thoughtful policy, lead professional development, and support education statewide. She also becomes eligible to represent Rhode Island as the National Teacher of the Year.

Courtesy Photo