Portsmouth Teacher Wins NH Instructor Of The Year Award

PORTSMOUTH, NH — A Port City teacher is being commended by a national law enforcement nonprofit for her work enlightening her students about the dangers of drugs, bullying, and violence.

Law Enforcement Against Drugs named Kathy Birse Siegel as its New Hampshire Instructor of the Year. The org partners with community leaders, educators, families, and others to promote what it calls a “proven effective anti-drug, anti-violence curriculum for students K-12.” During the 10-week course, officers and teachers like Siegel use the curriculum “to educate our youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs.” The org is active in 33 states.

“We want to congratulate Ms. Siegel on her tremendous dedication toward enlightening students in Howell on the dangers of drugs, bullying, and violence,” Nick DeMauro, the executive director and chief executive officer of L.E.A.D. said. “This year was quite a challenge, and we commend Ms. Siegel as well as the other L.E.A.D. instructors in the Portsmouth area on their creative capability to successfully help students complete L.E.A.D. programs online.”

Siegal, DeMauro said, has used the “Too Good for Drugs” program with around 185 seventh-graders at the Portsmouth Middle School. During the coronavirus pandemic, she had fewer students and could not teach them in person until late in the school year. However, Siegal was able to redesign the program for Zoom.

Siegal was nominated by Lisa Remick, a school colleague, for her work redesigning the program.

“I learned to use breakout rooms so that my students could work in small groups on Zoom, and I sent the textbooks home so that we could still use them during online sessions,” Seigel said. “I made the lessons interactive and content specific to L.E.A.D., and I believe the kids had fun learning despite the difficult circumstances.”

When assessed, she said, the students offered positive feedback about what they learned. Seigel added that watching students participate in the games and skits was rewarding, too.

For more information about the program, visit the Law Enforcement Against Drugs website, linked here.

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