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Fairfield PTAs Help Teachers Learn To Lead

Scott Morris has been a teacher for 15 years, the last 14 of them at Fairfield Woods Middle School. It’s only natural that when a fresh batch of new teachers join the staff each year, many turn to Scott for tips on dealing with the often-trying job. Eventually, Scott took the path Brian Fagan took before him and decided to go for administrative certification at Sacred Heart University.

“I never really thought of myself as an administrator,” Scott says. “But as new teachers come in and really look to you for advice, I realized maybe I was in a position to be an administrator, that I had something to offer.”

Scott was one of 10 Fairfield teachers honored this week with the Brian Fagan Grant from the PTA Council. The annual awards go to teachers currently in classes for advanced degrees, eyeing jobs as administrators or other leadership positions.

The award’s namesake was a Dwight Elementary School teacher who later became principal at Fairfield Woods and once served as Fairfield’s assistant superintendent. He now works for the Westport schools. Fagan comes back each year for the award presentation, which he says demonstrates the commitment of Fairfield’s PTA to its staff. “There’s sort of a cliché that organizations get the results that they deserve,” Fagan said. “That is so true in Fairfield, because Fairfield has been thoughtful of the professionals who work here.”

One thing that concerns Scott is that if he does move up in the ranks, he might spend less time with students, which is the main reason he got into teaching. This also slightly worried Mark Hilinski, another recipient. Like Scott, his interest in teaching was sparked by his time as a camp counselor and continued as her took a job as a physical education teacher at Burr Elementary.

But Mark says that as works toward an administrative role, he’s discovered that teaching adults can be just as satisfying. “I enjoy working with the kids, but I really enjoy working with teachers as well.”

Photo, from left: Lauren Lamb, Stratfield Elementary; Amy Gagnon, Riverfield Elementary; Jami DeSantis, Fairfield Ludlowe High School; Sara Hoefer, Tomlinson Middle School; Melissa Dubin, Tomlinson Middle School; Scott Morris, Fairfield Woods Middle School; Brian Fagan; Dave Henry, Fairfield Warde High School; Mark Hilinski, Burr Elementary; Nicole Massella, Fairfield Woods Middle School; and Carol Samuelson, Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

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