The following is the third in a series of articles highlighting the impact of grants awarded to staff by the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund during the 2024-25 school year.
The Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund awarded an $849 grant to Rochester Memorial School teacher Anne Realini to support her participation in the national Get Your Teach On educators professional development conference. (Photo Courtesy Old Rochester Regional School District and MA Superintendency Union #55)
MATTAPOISETT — Some of the most valuable tools Anne Realini picked up at the high-energy teaching conference held in the desert were related to phonics strategies — making learning to read and write in the classroom more fun for all her students, allowing them to master skills without even realizing it.
“I think my favorite practice I brought back with me from the conference is the ‘Phonics Teacher Center,'” Realini said. “In small groups, each student gets a turn to be the teacher and leads their group mates through a phonics drill utilizing the Promethean board — manipulating the sounds and letters in words. The students love being in charge and teaching their friends. They’re all practicing critical phonics skills in a fun and very engaging way.”
But perhaps the greatest result from her three-day trip — made possible by an $849 grant from the Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund — was that the Rochester Memorial School educator underwent a mindset shift.
She became more positive, focused and on fire for teaching. And she acquired skills that helped her foster a happier, more productive classroom environment for her students.
“My colleagues loved hearing about the conference and were so happy with all of the strategies I shared with them,” Realini said. “The students were always very excited when I specifically told them we would be trying something I learned at the conference. They were always eager to give it a go. Sometimes, I would put practices into place without telling them it was from the conference, but I could see the positive changes and was motivated to keep them going.”
The Old Rochester Regional School District and Massachusetts Superintendency Union #55 are pleased to share this story and the outcome of a total of more than $9,400 in private grants provided by the nonprofit Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation for the 2024-25 school year.
The Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund is a growing endowment under the umbrella of the SouthCoast Community Foundation. Supported by community donors, the fund helps educators pursue innovative, high-quality learning experiences for students throughout Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester.
This is the third in a series of articles describing the impact of grants awarded by the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund to support innovative teaching and student enrichment across the Old Rochester Regional School District and Massachusetts Superintendency Union #55.
The $849 grant was awarded by the Tri-Town Education Foundation to Realini after she applied to the fund last year to attend the three-day Get Your Teach On (GYTO) conference that was held in January 2025, featuring hands-on workshops, networking and expert speakers.
The goal of the annual GYTO conference is to provide Pre-K through sixth grade educators with high-impact, research-backed, evidence-based, best instructional practices, together with a boost of lasting inspiration and motivation, helping participants level up their teaching abilities, elevate classroom culture, and increase student engagement.
The main theme of this year’s event was forming relationships with students, encouraging teachers to focus on issues that matter and that they can control. One of the messages delivered by GYTO conference co-founder Hope King was “don’t mistake busy for successful,” to instead “do less but better.” Teachers were encouraged to focus on action, consistency, tracking, reflection and making changes. They were told to avoid excuses and the blame game. And they were urged to remember that students deserve 180 days of their best teacher every school year.
“Every teacher can be effective,” Realini said. “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You have to do the key things that make a difference and do them better — and with consistency.”
Early Childhood Coordinator Doreen Lopes said the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund’s support of best teaching practices and professional development is ultimately a benefit for the students and their learning experience.
“Investing in our educators means investing in our students,” Lopes said. “This professional development is empowering Anne to bring fresh, research-based strategies back to Rochester Memorial School, further strengthening the learning environment for all students.”
Superintendent Michael S. Nelson said the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund’s support reflects a shared commitment to excellence in teaching.
“We are grateful to the Tri-Town Education Foundation for their support and for recognizing the importance of ongoing professional growth,” Superintendent Nelson said. “This opportunity will help support teacher innovation, collaboration, and the joyful learning experiences we want for every student.”
Donate today: To support future grant-funded programs like this one, community members are encouraged to donate to the Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund. Please use the QR code below to go directly to the Old Rochester Regional Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund donation page: https://cfsema.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1304
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