Tag Archives: Special Education Teachers

Timothy Shriver: Disability rights activist and former teacher

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Timothy Shriver, former classroom teacher and disability rights activist, works with children involved in Special Olympics International. Photo credit: Cape Cod Life Publications.

There are many compelling stories of public school teachers who work tirelessly for the improvement of their communities. One is Timothy Shriver, a Connecticut educator who now serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Special Olympics International.

Timothy was born in Massachusetts in 1959, the third child of former US Ambassador Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy. Eunice Shriver is renowned for founding the Special Olympics program which recognizes the athletic abilities of individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical challenges.

As a youngster, Timothy attended St. Albans School. He earned his Bachelors degree from Yale University in 1981, and his Master’s degree from the Catholic University of America in 1988. He completed the requirements for his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Connecticut in 1996.

Once he earned his degrees, Timothy spent 15 years as an educator in public high schools in New Haven, Connecticut. Some of these years he was employed as a special education teacher. Later, Timothy worked for Upward Bound through the University of Connecticut as a teacher and counselor of disadvantaged adolescents.

Timothy was instrumental in establishing the Social Development Project in New Haven, and also established the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has served on the Board of directors of The Future Project, a national organization that empowers young people to create positive social change. In addition, he is a Fellow at the School Development Program at the Yale Child Study Center. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Board for Special Olympics International.

As if all this were not enough, Timothy has produced four films, authored The New York Times bestselling book Fully Alive – Discovering What Matters Most, and has published numerous articles in a variety of newspapers and magazines.

For his exemplary work, Timothy has earned many accolades. In 1995 was named Connecticut Citizen of the Year. He also garnered a Presidential Medallion from the University of Illinois. In 2015, he was named a Walter Camp Distinguished American.

To read more about Timothy, click on this link to an interview conducted with him by ESPN.

NC Special Ed teacher Crystal Bennett succumbs to Covid

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Sadly, Crystal Bennett, a beloved high school Special Ed teacher from West Jefferson, North Carolina, succumbed to Covid on Jan. 13, 2021. Photo credit: Ashe Post and Times.

I often write stories about teachers who have won numerous awards and recognition for their work in the classroom, but there are many teachers out there who silently work day after day, year after year, quietly accomplishing amazing things with their students. Those teachers may not earn awards, but they certainly deserve honors, for they are the cornerstone of the teaching profession. One of these is Crystal Bennett, a high school teacher from West Jefferson, North Carolina. Sadly, this dedicated educator succumbed to Covid on Jan. 13, 2021. She was only 36 years old.

Crystal taught Exceptional Children, which is another name for special education students, at Ashe County High School. Her career there spanned seven years, the first five as a special education assistant and the last two as a classroom teacher. Although her career as an educator was short, it was enough to plant her in the hearts of her students, parents, and colleagues.

“Crystal was compassionate; she worried about her students and their well-being every day,” recalls former classmate, coworker, and close friend, Heather Phillips. “Crystal had a way with her students, she could sense when they’d had a rough day and when there were issues, issues that needed (and were) to be handled before educating could occur. One thing about Crystal, she took care of ‘her kids’ at school,” continued Phillips.

Parent Karen Ham agrees with Phillips. “My son had her as a teacher in high school. She impacted him so much, there were times that he would struggle or be having a bad day. Crystal would see this and stop what she was doing and take the time out of her day to talk to him. She would try to see what she could do to make his day better,” remembers Ham. “And when he graduated, she never lost touch with him. She would still send him messages to check on him to make sure he was OK and staying out of trouble. I know he is going to miss those messages from her,” Ham continued. “She never gave up on her kids and always wanted them to do the best that she knew they could do,” Ham concluded.

To read more tributes for Crystal, see this obituary published in the Ashe Post and Times.

Mary Abrams: Special Ed teacher and member Connecicut State Senate

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Mary Abrams, a dedicated Special Education teacher from Connecticut, also serves diligently in her State Senate.

There are so many talented educators in our country who have chosen to serve their communities not only in the classroom, but also in political office. One of these is Mary Abrams, a Special Education teacher from Connecticut who also serves diligently in her state Senate.

As a young girl, Mary attended St. Rose School in Newton, Connecticut. She graduated from Francis T. Maloney High School in Meriden, Connecticut. She earned both her Bachelor’s and a Master’s degrees in Special Education, and later a Sixth Year degree in Education Leadership, all from Southern Connecticut State University. Mary has also garnered the Educational Leadership Student Award for Excellence in Practice.

After earning her degrees, Mary taught Special Education for over 25 years before transitioning from the classroom to school administration, where she served for more than a decade both as the Director of Special Education and then as a high school Assistant Principal. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Mary served on the Democratic Town Committee, the Library Board, the St. Andrews Vestry, and as a Girl Scout leader. She retired from the academic world in 2017, declaring that she will always be an advocate for education.

In November, 2018, Mary was elected on the Democratic ticket to serve in the Connecticut State Senate. She represents the 13th District, which includes Meriden, Cheshire, Middlefield, Middletown, and Rockfall. In the Senate she serves as the Chair for the Committee on Public Health; the Vice Chair of the Committees on Education and Veterans’ Affairs, and a member of the Committees on Aging and Appropriations.

To learn more about Mary Abrams, click on this link to her website.

Covid claims life of Alabama teacher, coach Leo Davidovich, Jr.

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Special Education teacher and coach Leo Davidovich, Jr., of Odenville, Alabama, succumbed to Covid on Sept. 23, 2o2o. Photo credit: CBS 42.

With sadness, we regret to report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator and coach. Leo Davidovich, Jr., a middle school teacher in Odenville, Alabama, sucumbed to the disease on Sept. 23, 2020. He was only 47 years old.

Leo taught special education in a small group setting at Odenville Middle School in the St. Clair County School District. He had a reputation for reaching his students with engaging lessons that emphasized the development of functional life skills. He worked tirelessly to make his lessons applicable to his students, and he strongly believed students should be able to use the skills from his classroom later in life. “Leo was beloved by all his students at OMS,” recalled his wife, Cindy, “because his students knew how much he cared for them and loved them.”

In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Leo served as the Assistant Softball Coach for nearby Drew Middle School. He also coached travel softball and basketball. He was the Founder and Head Coach of the Thunderstruck Softball Team.

Leo was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 28, 1972. He graduated from Mifflinburg Area High School in 1991. Later he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lycoming College. Lycoming is a nationally-ranked private college located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. During his undergraduate college years, Leo was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) Fraternity. Leo earned his Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Leo and his wife also owned a family farm in Lincoln, Alabama. Many of his days off from teaching and coaching were spent working on his farm.

To read more about Leo, click on the story about him at this link to CBS 42.

NM Special Ed teacher Leo Lugo succumbs to Covid-19

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With sadness, we report that New Mexico Special Education teacher Leo Lugo succumbed to  Covid-19 on  Oct. 6, 2020. Photo credit: El Paso Times.

With great sadness we announce that yet another educator has succumbed to Covid-19. Leo Lugo, a Special Education teacher in New Mexico, passed away on Oct. 6, 2020. He was 56 years old.

Leo worked at Chaparral High School in the Gadsden Independent School District. Chaparral is a small, unincorporated community near the Texas city of El Paso. The military installations of Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range are nearby.

Although his career as an educator spanned only one year, he made a positive impact on his students. Victoria Lopez, Principal of Chaparral High, recalled that he was a very kind and caring individual who truly wanted the best for his students.

Friend Jacqueline Bravo agreed. “He would always say, ‘echele ganas,’ which means keep going. He would always be like, ‘echele ganas’ Jackie, like you can, you can do it, like we’re almost done and stuff like that,” she remembered. ” think he would want to be remembered as someone–like a good representative of El Paso, and not only that, but a very strong motivating and uplifting man,” she continued.

Before his career as an educator, Leo worked for several Spanish language radio stations, including Estrella 103.1-FM. His career as a radio personality lasted for more than 20 years.

To read more about Leo Lugo, click on this link to his story published by the El Paso Times.