Tom Calabrese, Special Educaton Instructional Assistant and Unified Basketball Coach @ NAMS

Mr. Calabrese is in his first year as Instructional Assistant at North Attleborough Middle School.  He is hardworking each day, and dedicated to the students of NAMS.  This is shown in his day to day work with students in class, and also when he took on the opportunity to coach the NAMS Unified Basketball team in its inaugural season.  Throughout the season, Mr. Calabrese was dedicated to the students who participated and were a part of the team, and he coached them with excitement and great pride.  NAMS students looked forward to basketball practice and games each week after school, just so they could see Mr. Calabrese, and also their peers on the court.  It was clear that each student very much enjoyed the opportunity to work with Mr. Calabrese during the inaugural season, and they are already looking forward to playing again next Spring.  Mr. Calabrese has been a positive addition to NAMS this year, and students are lucky to have him to work with, and look up to as a role model each day.  

In the words of one of his students and players, “Mr. C took the time to play basketball with my friends and I. We won many games and even took a bus to a different school.  He did this after school when he could have just gone home. He is our Hero.”  

Submitted by a Student at North Attleborough Middle School

Carlos Coreas - Head Custodian @ Community School

Mr. C goes above and beyond in so many ways, but the ways that stand out to me are the small things. If he is outside at morning dropoff, he makes a point to closely watch students get out of the car. If a student gets out on the side of the car opposite the sidewalk (where cars will pass), Mr. C will step into the dropoff lane to ensure there aren't any cars coming at the child getting out of the vehicle. All of his decisions at the building, whether big and obvious like working tirelessly long hours when the building was down a custodian to less obvious ones such as this, show his deep commitment to the safety and well-being of the students. I have never seen him correct a parent or make a suggestion that they change drop-off - he just steps in to make sure the kiddos are ok and then greets the kids with a big smile and a good morning.

Mr. Coreas greets each employee and student everyday with a great big smile. He goes above and beyond daily to make sure the school is cleaned. He checks my classroom daily to make sure it is clean and things are not broken. He also deeply cares about the students. He is always seen at the lunch room daily and cleans up spills with a smile. When a student is dysregulated, he works with them to clean up their messes. He also checks the playground for student safety. When he saw there was an unsafe branch, he immediately roped off the area and had a tree service come to make the playground safe for the students. Today when he was checking the playground, he saw a few boys playing football. He took the time out of his day to play catch with the students! He is a fantastic male role model in a school where students need it!

Submitted by Parent/Guardian and Staff Member @ Community School

Laura Detri - Guidance Counselor @ NAMS

My child is an 8th grade student at NAMS.   Due to a medical issue, my child missed 2 full weeks of school in September 2022.  The amount of work missed was overwhelming, combined with the difficulty of navigating around NAMS on crutches for a month afterwards. I cannot overstate how supportive all the teachers were in getting my child back up to speed afterwards.

In particular I want to commend Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Laura Detri. My child is a very social kid but not one to talk about feelings. My child was struggling with this situation much more than they let on to me or my wife. Mrs. Detri met with my child frequently and was able to get them to open up to her unlike they would do with anyone else. She was a godsend and I don’t believe my child would have made the progress they made without her efforts. It's not an exaggeration to say that Mrs. Detri saved my child’s school year.

Submitted by Parent/Guardian @ North Attleborough Middle School

Holly Fritzsche - Administrative Assistant @ Roosevelt Avenue School

Mrs. Fritzsche is the nicest person you will ever meet. She has the kindest heart and the most welcoming smile. She has endless patience and treats every single person with respect. When I was reading the criteria about this recognition, I thought, wow, Mrs. Fritzsche exemplifies each and every one of them. She runs the Roosevelt Avenue School front office like a champion, excelling in keeping things running with a smoothness that defies explanation. She juggles the phone, visitors, kids stopping by the office, and volunteers and does it all with that beautiful smile on her face. I watched her help a student at the school store who didn't have enough money. She got down on her knees in the lobby to their level, explained the situation to the student in a way they understood, and deflected a meltdown all without ever losing patience. Mrs. Fritzsche is amazing, and every single student and their parents' lives are better because she's in it.  Mrs Fritzsche knows every kid and every parent. From about a month into kindergarten she knows those kids. And they have a good feeling about going to see her for anything they may need. She knows all their good and bad times and she’s always encouraging. She always has time for questions and just makes the school a happy place to go into for students and parents. You are greeted with a smile every time you are buzzed into the building. She truly cares about our school, she is the sweetest most kind hearted team member, she makes the entire school a better place and deserves to be recognized as a critical member of NAPS

Submitted by Parents/Guardians @ Roosevelt Avenue School

Elizabeth Giordano - Grade 4 Teacher @ Martin Elementary School

Mrs. Giordano has been an outstanding resource and source of support for her students and parent/guardians of her classroom.   Mrs. Giordano treats her students with respect and love and makes them feel safe and supported at school. She has worked to make sure that her classroom is an inclusive space and that her students embrace differences of all types. Mrs. Giordano helps parents to ensure their children have a great experience at school and set them up for success. 

Mrs. Giordano is my child’s favorite teacher, she goes above and beyond to keep students engaged in learning.

Submitted by Parents/Guardians @ Martin Elementary School

Heidi Lynch, Holmes Transportation Bus Driver, Bus #2 to Amvet Boulevard School

Miss Heidi is the nicest and most professional bus driver I have ever seen.  Heidi is friendly, patient, and kind.  All of the kids love her and she makes taking the bus enjoyable. She goes above and beyond to spread a smile to everyone she sees, everyday.  Heidi is such a genuine woman with a heart of gold. She not only makes the children feel safe with her stellar driving but she truly cares about her job and the well being of each and every child on her bus. When a child on our street is habitually late, she will turn around and wait for him as he frantically runs out the door. She has stopped her route and driven back to our house when my child was distraught that he forgot his backpack. Heidi always welcomes the kids with a smile and a wave and actually connects with them.  The best feeling in the world is to have your children want to get on the bus and go to school with someone they love, making them feel safe and cared for.  She is just above and beyond the scope of what I’d expect in a bus driver and we are so incredibly lucky to have her.  

Submitted by Parents/Guardians @ Amvet Boulevard School

Heather Sawyer - Kindergarten Instructional Assistant @ Martin Elementary School

I do not have enough words to describe how grateful we are as a family that our child has Mrs. Sawyer. Our child has had some issues/medical and Mrs.Sawyer has made our transition into Kindergarten smooth and comfortable. Mrs. Sawyer brings our child down to the nurse 2-3 times a day.  Mrs. Sawyer is always in constant communication with the nurses and myself if there are any changes that need to be made to our routine or if different issues arise.

My child adores Mrs. Sawyer. She’s such a great teacher. My child made a “bottle monster” and Mrs. Sawyer still has it on her desk. Mrs. Sawyer recognizes their creativity and gave my child a golden star for making a book of monsters at home.  She’s gentle and they look up to her.  

Submitted by Parents/Guardians @ Martin Elementary School

It is with great pleasure that I nominate Ms. Sarah Bateson for NAPS “Spotlight” Employee Of The Month.  In addition to performing her job at an exemplary level, Ms. Bateson demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to her students.  Ms. Bateson takes it upon herself to provide exceptional support for her students.  As an example, in my opinion, she has gone way above to help my grandson during the past 2 years at NAMS.  She is always reaching out to him and myself. She genuinely is a very caring person. Ms. Bateson has been a huge influence in my grandson’s academic work, helping him get over many hurdles. She has also been able to help him with personal challenges that he has and is facing outside of school. She always has a very positive input. She is a person who gives her all. She has taken time out of her busy schedule to meet with me and discuss my grandson's needs, progress and goals.  NAMS is very lucky to have such a great person.  Ms. Bateson is helpful, caring, resourceful, and happy to offer services, ideas, and resources.  Through the many changes and challenges my grandson has faced in the past 2 years, she has never given up on him. Her skills, knowledge, willingness to help others, and her dedication to the students makes her a great nominee consideration.  

Submitted by a Parent/Guardian of a NAMS Student

Anne Marie is an exceptional Spanish teacher at North Attleborough High School. She goes above and beyond in every way to encourage, support, guide, and lead her students to success. She commits her work day to getting students to read, write, listen, and most importantly, speak Spanish. Outside of school she pours hours of her own time into detailed, constructive corrections on classwork, homework, and assessments in order to truly demonstrate to her students areas in which they are proficient, mastering content, and struggling. She encourages learning from mistakes and helps students reach their full potential. Anne Marie always makes a concerted effort to get to know her students and understand their strengths and weaknesses. She always puts her students and their needs before her own and adapts quickly to ensure she best reaches them where they are.

There are always a handful of students looking to speak with Anne Marie at any time of the school day. She is someone that the students respect and gravitate towards. In addition to being an exemplary teacher, she is a three season coach as well as the advisor for the class of 2025. This allows her even more opportunity to connect with students and be a leader and a champion for them. Her connections with students do not go unnoticed and her commitment to creating a healthy and supportive environment for all students to learn is remarkable.

Anne Marie was my high school AP Spanish teacher and is now my colleague and friend. I can say from personal experience how incredible of a teacher she is having seen it first hand as a student as well as working with her. I have learned from her as a student and through collaboration in my career.

Submitted by a Staff Member at NAHS

Laura Croteau is one of the most positive, influential teachers that a student can have at Amvet Boulevard School. You can tell from her engagement, parent emails, and feedback from students directly that she truly LOVES what she does. She has taken her role as teacher and expanded it to cheer leader, coach, confidant, and so much more. Our daughter has anxiety, and one of the few people she truly accepts and trusts is Laura Croteau. She has been a strong advocate and supporter of ensuring that every student in her class is learning to their full capability. This influence, kindness, and determination is what really sets her apart. She takes ownership and responsibility for every student. She celebrates successes, and she is there to figure out the hardships. This level of teaching truly exemplifies what it means to be best-in-class.

Submitted by a Parent/Guardian of an Amvet Boulevard Student

Ashley Wilk has incredible passion and genuine care for both her class and Community School students. Community is blessed to have someone so engaged, fostering inclusion, and embodying compassion daily. I've witnessed these qualities firsthand, coupled with exceptional patience, while volunteering at Community School.  Ashley always remains calm and collected, while putting the child's needs and well-being first, despite responding to escalating behaviors. Instructional assistants and special education teachers alike are often the invisible forces that make life-altering impacts on children's lives - Ashley and her peers should be recognized for their amazing efforts and impact.

Submitted by a Parent/Guardian of a Community School Student

Mr. Germaine has been a custodian at Martin School for 12 years (and in the district for 14).  Jim is always the first to hop in and offer support when help is needed.  He greets students and staff with a smile everyday.  He treats everyone patiently and with kindness, always.   Lately, we’ve had difficulty with custodial staffing and Jim has graciously filled in and put the needs of our school before his own (even missing his tropical vacation with his wife!)  Day to day, Jim connects with students and staff in a meaningful way.  He’ll remember if your spouse is sick, or if your son had a hockey tournament.  

During the height of COVID cleaning protocols, Jim worked tirelessly to ensure the cleanliness of the building and our safety.  As COVID evolves, he continues to be flexible and dedicated.  Jim truly goes above and beyond every single day.  Martin School is a better place because of him.

Submitted by a Staff Member at Martin School.