Molly Brewer ’11’s excellence in her classroom has earned her the New England League of Middle Schools’ designation as a Promising Practitioner. Brewer, who teaches Spanish at the Medomak Middle School in Waldoboro, Me. will be honored at the Leagues’ 33rd Annual Conference in Providence, R.I., March 31–April 1. This annual award is based on the recommendations of teachers, parents, and administrators and is designed to “honor excellent teachers who are beginning their teaching careers and who are effective middle-level educators that provide powerful learning for their young adolescent students.”

Brewer came to Medomak Middle School in the summer of 2012 as the new Spanish teacher. “I walked into my classroom to find nothing in front of me but a couple of Sharpies, which happened to have been left in my desk, and four tables with folding chairs,” she recalled. “I had to create my entire curriculum from scratch, and with very little materials. In some ways, this was a blessing. I did not have to try and follow in a previous teacher’s footsteps, or try and tweak textbook lessons to make them my own. Needless to say, it was a very long first trimester, but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything.”

Obviously, she arose to the challenge—but she was well trained. “Keene State College prepared me exceptionally well for my position. I was exposed to different grade levels throughout my methods and student teaching, which taught me how to deal with and respond to many different types of situations. The experience I gained from writing hundreds of lengthy lesson plans and creating units from scratch definitely came to use when I was given the task of creating the Spanish curriculum for my school.”

Congratulations, Molly. Well done!

Somersworth Middle School Principal Dana Hilliard ’95 had been bitten by the political bug back when he was active in student government while he was on campus. His success, and his willingness to serve, reached a new high on November 5 when he was voted in as mayor of Somersworth, NH. Mayor Hilliard is a former KSC Alumni Board member, and he is still active in Seacoast alumni events and promotes the College whenever he gets an opportunity.

Read the announcement of his mayoral win in Foster’s Daily Democrat.

Chepina Rumsey ’05, now in her first year as an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Kansas State University, is the principal investigator of a $450,000 mathematics and science partnership grant from the Kansas State Department of Education. This three-year professional development project, titled “Improving Mathematics Instruction through Lesson Study,” aims to deepen the mathematical content and pedagogical knowledge of elementary school teachers in order to impact student learning and strengthen the partnership between elementary school teachers (K–6) and Kansas State University.

Holding a BS in Math and a BS in Education, Rumsey noted that she’s integrated what she learned from both degrees in her current position working with elementary school teachers and pre-service teachers in the area of mathematics. “Having the mathematics background was helpful in my graduate work and now in my job as I work with mathematicians and mathematics educators,” she said. She’s also using skills she learned outside the classroom as an athlete at KSC. “I ran cross country and track, so I had to learn to manage my time well and stay organized. I have used those skills in graduate school and now in my first year at Kansas State University.”

Her success has already gained her notice in K-State Today. Read all about it!