Local teacher receives top state honor

By Tim Devaney, SJVT intern

FORT KENT—Recently, Scott Sevigny, a social studies teacher at Community High School at Fort Kent, was honored with the Maine Education Association’s Teaching Excellence Award. The award is given to the one Maine teacher who best meets the MEA’s criteria of Teaching Excellence.

To be considered for the award, teachers must be nominated by their local teaching associations and submit a lengthy application.

This is a prestigious award that has a history of recognizing Maine’s greatest educators by maintaining high standards and strict criteria for its selection of teachers. According to the MEA, the organization looks at five categories: professional practice, advocacy for the profession, community engagement, leadership in professional development, and attention to diversity. Those around Sevigny believe he deserves the award.

According to The Maine Educator, Philip Bouchard, president of the local education association to which Sevigny belongs, said, “He treats all his colleagues and students with the utmost respect.”

Timothy Doak, principal at CHS, supports that statement.

He observes, “Mr. Sevigny has approached his teaching career with a very simple philosophy: students come first. No matter the position of teacher entails, Mr. Sevigny always completes his work with enthusiasm and eagerness.”

Sevigny redirects the honor, though, showing respect for his colleagues, students, and profession.

“I’m surrounded with students and colleagues and a community who hold and value education. So because they set the bar high, it makes all of us as educators excel. It’s not about me; it’s about the profession,” he said.

His reverence for education drives him to excel, as he places the profession above himself.
Bouchard notes, “Driving by Community High School on most Sundays, one will find Scott’s car parked in front of the building as he is working to get all his plans in order for the week. He usually spends minimally four hours, and sometimes, eleven hours, each week-end working on making sure he is organized for the upcoming week.”

Sevigny provides his peers with a great example of professionalism, say his colleagues; however, he goes well beyond professional expectations.

According to Sevigny, he tries to be a genuine presence in the community, as he watches students excel outside of the classroom. Moreover, he tries to model good citizenship, as well as show students the value of education by being a life-long learner himself.

Doak notes, “Mr. Sevigny has modeled the true representation of a life-long learner by continuing his own education as well as fostering the education of his students.”

For Sevigny, it comes from the heart, as he excels at teaching because he cares. He has a passion for it and feels, “It is [his] duty to advocate for what is the best for the children.” Surely, he has made a difference in the lives of countless students, but with him it goes both ways, as they have made a difference in his life as well. (The students have made a difference in his life as well). “The most beneficial experience regarding my professional growth is my daily contact with my students,” he said.

Sevigny cites “reflection” as the key to his success. He was first introduced to that idea several years ago when he pursued a graduate degree to further his education. Now he is eager to constantly improve and feels that reflection is the best way to do that.

He said, “I know that my master’s degree program a few years ago really prompted me to engage in good meaningful reflection.”

Moreover, he believes that reflection is an asset that can be utilized by anyone. Particularly, he wants students to use this as an educational tool.

“I have learned throughout my career that learning is an investment of time and all learners need time to reflect. Encouraging and challenging students to reflect upon their learning is a powerful practice…because this habit of mind is modeled in many situations throughout our personal and professional life.”

Sevigny said he daily tries to help students with this concept by personalizing the education for each student individually.

Sevigny, who won the MEA’s Teaching Excellence Award earlier this year, mentioned that he is one of many teachers who will be representing their respective states at the national conference in Washington D.C. in February 2008.