Also honored was Easthampton High School social studies teacher Kelley Brown, named the state’s history teacher of the year.
Floris Wilma Ortiz-Marrero, front, 2011 Massachusetts teacher of the year, exchanges hugs during ceremonies at the Statehouse, in Boston, as from the left, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester, Gov. Deval L. Patrick, and Secretary of Education S. Paul Reville, behind right, look on Friday. Ortiz has been an English teacher at Amherst Middle School since 1993.BOSTON – An Amherst teacher of English to non-native speakers is the state’s 2011 teacher of the year.
Floris Wilma Ortiz-Marrero was honored Friday by Gov. Deval L. Patrick and other state officials. She will be the state’s candidate for national teacher of the year.
Also honored was Easthampton High School social studies teacher Kelley Brown, named the state’s history teacher of the year for the national Preserve America competition.
Ortiz, a Puerto Rico native, has been an English teacher at Amherst Middle School since 1993. Brown has taught social studies at Easthampton High since 2001.
Rebecca Duda, an eighth grade social studies teacher at Lakeview Junior High School in Dracut, was recognized as one of 53 national recipients of the 2009 Milken Family Foundation awards for teaching.
More details coming in The Republican.