HHRS is proud to announce its 2016-2017 Governor's Educator of the Year, Mrs. Jessica Merrigan!
Mrs. Merrigan graduated from Quinnipac University in May 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Masters in the Art of Teaching in 2011. In 2015 she received her Students with Disabilities Graduate Endorsement and is also certified in ELL. Mrs. Merrigan was hired at HHRS in 2013 to teach AP Literature and English I. She has since added AP Language and Composition as well. Mrs. Merrigan also serves as a personal motivator and private tutor for students with retention issues. In addition, she also serves as co-advisor to the National Honor Society and Class of 2018.
HHRS Principal Lenore Kingsmore spoke of Mrs. Merrigan at the February 2017 Board of Education meeting where she was presented with the Teacher of the Year award,
"Mrs. Merrigan has enriched the halls of HHRS through her creativity and her focus on student engagement in the classroom. Having visited Mrs. Merrigan's classroom many times, I rarely see her standing at the board but rather sitting in a circle with her students while they analyze and synthesize a novel with great depth and research skills. All the students in the AP classes are held to a higher standard of learning and responsibility and are usually running the class for most of the period. This the mark of a true educator- when you are simply the facilitator of learning. Students are engaged, motivated and excited to share daily in Mrs. Merrigan's classroom. This past year Mrs. Merrigan accepted my request to run the Poetry out Loud competition at Hudson. She embraced the challenge as she has for the past several years. However, in her true student-centered approach to learning, she had her AP Literature students run the program and it was amazing. Each day you can find students eating lunch with Mrs. Merrigan, getting help with their writing or just needing a quiet place to eat and socialize. Mrs. Merrigan's kindness and gentle spirit is evident every day she comes to HHRS. Always greets me with a big smile and works so hard so that her students are successful in all they endeavor."
Congratulations again to Mrs. Merrigan!