Ricardo Richards Elementary School’s Shabre Providence was officially honored as the 2014 State Teacher of the Year (STOY) at a recognition dinner hosted Friday evening at Government House on St. Croix.
"Choosing the State Teacher of the Year is indeed a difficult task as we have so many men and women who walk in the doors of our schools daily that consistently give 110 percent of their time and attention," Frett-Gregory said during the event. "Our teachers serve as counselors, nurses, interventionists – and they teach the hard lessons, inside the classroom and out. So you see, the individual that is chosen as the teacher of the year must be all those things – someone that sets the bar high enough for our students to excel, and for her colleagues to follow.
And it is my pleasure this evening to recognize Mrs. Providence for being that type of leader. It is one thing in this competition for teachers to win accolades from their principals and support staff, but in Ms. Providence’s case, her students were also champions of her cause. In fact, when the STOY selection was made, her entire school couldn’t wait to announce it to the world – and that type of pride clearly indicates a very special soul."
Speaking later, St. Croix Superintendent Gary Molloy said that visiting Providence’s fourth grade classroom at Ricardo Richards is something "everyone should do at least once in a lifetime…It’s a very exciting atmosphere for students."