Together Teachers Can Make A Difference!

On Wednesday August 30, Brewster High School teachers crossed the green carpet at their annual Convocation. While some walked, others danced the length of the emerald ribbon to the live music—"YMCA" and "I Will Survive"—played by district music teachers.
Superintendent Dr. Laurie Bandlow met the group in a packed auditorium to thank them, the administration, and staff for the “incredible impact” they make on Brewster’s kids. Dr. Bandlow then offered a compelling presentation on Vision 2026, the district’s strategic plan and how, together, teachers can make a difference.

Board of Education President Kerry Cunningham asked district parents how teachers had positively impacted the lives of their children, then compiled a list of thank yous to teachers for, among other things, keeping kids safe, teaching them art and music, supervising their extracurricular clubs, teaching them, not just for the standardized tests, but for the deeper knowledge the tests are supposed to gauge, and for instilling the life skills students will need to succeed in college and beyond.

Jim Trulor, the Director of Technology & Innovation and President of the Administrators’ Association of Brewster – many may know him as the voice of the district’s lockdown messaging and snow day calls -- also spoke about Vision 2026. He encouraged teachers to use “authentic” and “dynamic” teaching, and highlighted examples of inspired teaching experiences from last year: the Kindness Klub’s rock project, C.V. Starr’s Steam expo on wearable art, and BHS’ CyBearBots. Their Way-To-Go-Cane, a product that helps the visually impaired become more active, reached the world finals in the FIRST Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm Incorporated.

Paul George, the head of the Teachers Association, reiterated the theme of authentic and inspired teaching when speaking about his passion for gardening and the book, “Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden.” He said that, to him, seeds are like kids -- each different, each with their own needs. He called on teachers to “be the best gardners out there!”