It’s almost becoming routine: An awards ceremony for Massachusetts educators with multiple É«ÏãÊÓƵ alumni taking home the hardware.
Celeste Hoeg, G ’07, earned the 2017 Educator Alumni Award for Bridgewater in a ceremony held at the Massachusetts Statehouse on Tuesday, May 30. Meanwhile, graduate alumna Angela Bergonzi was also honored in front of a crowd that included Bridgewater President Frederick W. Clark Jr. and College of Education and Allied Studies Dean Lisa Battaglino.
Currently the principal of Carlos Pacheco Elementary School in New Bedford, Ms. Hoeg’s training at Bridgewater helped her create a multi-disciplinary approach to reading for children and adults in Pacheco’s diverse learning community.
After leaving Bridgewater, Ms. Hoeg didn’t leave her network behind. She maintained a close relationship with CEAS to develop a professional development school at Pacheco, which includes monthly collaboration meetings with faculty from both schools.
She’s also instituted a Bridgewater-like focus on technology in the classroom by designating and redistributing funds to purchase Chromebook carts for students in third, fourth and fifth grade.
Before becoming principal of Pacheco, Ms. Hoeg served in a variety of teaching capacities for Brockton Public Schools, including associate principal for curriculum and instruction. Her time in Brockton included a middle school leadership position when the school raised the level of student achievement from a level 3 to a level 1.
As for Ms. Bergonzi, the biology teacher at Brockton High School was honored as the recipient for Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where she completed her undergraduate studies. Following her bachelor’s degree in Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, she earned her master’s degree of teaching in biology from Bridgewater.
For the past 11 years, Ms. Bergonzi has served as an accommodating educator and tireless advocate for English-language learners and students with special needs. Throughout her career in Brockton, she has played a major role in biology curriculum development. The department head has also served as a building representative to the Brockton Education Association, a peer mentor, and Science Club adviser. (Story by Charlie Peters, University News & Media)