Cheshire Public Schools is excited to honor Katherine Zukis as the 2023-2024 Cheshire Public Schools Teacher of the Year! Katherine is a First Grade teacher at Norton School. Katherine began her teaching career in New Britain at Diloreto Elementary School as a long term substitute and joined the Cheshire team in 2009 working first at Highland and then at Norton School where she has spent the past thirteen years.
Colleagues who have had the pleasure of encountering Ms. Zukis’ teaching know the warmth that she exudes and the way she makes each and every child feel special. Her colleagues and supervisors recognize how talented she is in growing her students. Her first graders are able to consistently meet their academic goals as a result of the caring, accepting environment she creates that enables all students to take academic risks.
Katherine personifies calm, grace and poise. She welcomes every child to her classroom in the same way that she would want her own children to be received; appreciated for who they are as individuals and called upon to reach their very best potential. Ms Zukis’ teaching exemplifies the interconnectedness of social emotional learning and complex thinking.
Katherine serves on a number of committees including the new schools working group. She is an intervention team leader, district grade level representative and has been a presenter on Responsive Classroom practices within our district sharing her talents with other educators. She also serves as a mentor teacher working with college student interns who are studying to become teachers.
In addition to her work as a teacher, Katherine is a wife and mother to her two children Harper and Ford. In her spare time, Katherine volunteers at her children’s school serving as co-chair of the fundraising committee, coordinator of family-school events and maintains the garden in front of their school.
Katherine stated in her acceptance speech during convocation that how we make children feel, matters. She shared that it is her truest belief that the only way forward in our society is through education. She spoke to the impact an excellent teacher can have. Katherine Zukis is a gifted educator who is not only talented but humble and articulate. Katherine will represent Cheshire’s education community with a grace that will shine a positive light on the profession and make us all proud to be a part of this calling.