In September of 2001 Andover lost a real leader with the sudden death of Selectman Mary French. Many of us also remember Mary as the former Pupil Personnel Director, a position she held for many years. In memory of Mary, the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) sponsors an award we call the Mary French Yellow Rose Award. There’s a story behind the name.
A few years ago a group of Andover teachers, headed by Mary, visited the Glastonbury school system to observe programs designed to improve delivery of services to special needs children. Educators whose contributions provided improved programming, as well as a more inclusive environment, for special education students were rewarded with a yellow rose. Thus the yellow rose became a symbol of excellence.
Nominations for the Mary French Yellow Rose Award
The nominee can be Special Needs or Regular Ed teacher, as well as an instructional assistant, coach, or therapist. The nominee will meet the following criteria:
- The nominee consistently provides the opportunity for the student to access both academic and recreational Regular Ed programs in a meaningful way.
- The nominee is a true collaborator, working well with parents and teachers alike. He or she is a team player.
- The nominee embraces change and is willing to take risks in order to improve upon current educational policies.
- The nominee works with the team to provide a vision for the student and uses the educational process to achieve these goals.