Brittanie McGregor is Springfield Prep’s 2019 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award Winner
Springfield Prep Charter School is proud to announce that Fourth Grade Teacher and Grade Level Chair Brittanie McGregor has been selected by the school as its 2019 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award Winner.
The Excellence in Teaching Awards program, made possible by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in partnership with MassMutual and the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, is an honor given out annually to recognize outstanding Western Massachusetts educators. Brittanie will be recognized at a banquet for Excellence in Teaching Award Winners at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Wednesday, May 1st.
Brittanie has taught at Springfield Prep for three years, and taught in the Springfield Public Schools prior to that. At Springfield Prep, she has taught “founding grades” for three consecutive years and was the Founding Grade Level Chair for two of them. In this way, she has had a tremendous impact the growth and success of our newest grade levels. Under Brittanie’s leadership as a Third Grade Teacher and Grade Level Chair, Springfield Prep’s third grade students were among the highest performers in the state on the MCAS during the 2017-2018 school year.
Jessica Yiannos, the school’s Principal, said, “Brittanie never settles for good enough when it comes to her teaching or her students' results. She is constantly striving for improvement and excellence because she knows that the stakes are high, and she believes her students deserve every opportunity available to them. She is a team player who is always willing to go the extra mile to support all classrooms in our school.”
Step inside Brittanie’s class and it’s immediately apparent what makes her unique. Hands shoot up when she asks a question about the text and students are eager to share. Motivating quotes adorn the walls. She subtly guides students back to the text when they struggle to answer a challenging question, clear about what she wants her students to glean but cognizant of the fact that they will grow the most when they are doing the work as independently as possible.
Wendy Soref, the school’s Director of Academics, explained some of what makes her so special as a teacher. “Brittanie goes above and beyond in all aspects of her role -- as as a teacher, colleague, and team leader. As a colleague and leader, she is generous with resources, advice, and encouragement and has helped her teams meet ambitious academic goals. Our school would not be what it is today without her contributions.”
Ms. McGregor will be honored along with other awardees from the region at a banquet for Excellence in Teaching Award Winners at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Wednesday, May 1st.