2015 -- S 0994

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LC002842

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING TRACY L. LAFRENIERE, NORTH SMITHFIELD ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL TEACHER, ON BEING NAMED THE 2016 RHODE ISLAND TEACHER OF THE

YEAR

     Introduced By: Senators E O`Neill, Cote, and P Fogarty

     Date Introduced: June 11, 2015

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     WHEREAS, Tracy L. Lafreniere is a Reading Specialist and Literacy Coach at North

Smithfield Elementary School, where she has taught for the past seventeen years. She earned a

Bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College and a Master’s degree from Lesley University in

Cambridge, Massachusetts; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Lafreniere is a dedicated, creative and innovative teacher who is always

looking for ways to encourage the youngsters in her care to not only learn how to read and

overcome their reading difficulties, but to also develop a life-long passion for reading and

learning. She aspires daily to make her classroom a fun and exciting learning environment and

believes that her "greatest accomplishment would be teaching a child to read"; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Lafreniere received the prestigious Rhode Island Teacher of the Year

Award at a surprise gathering disguised as a ceremony to honor the school for its fundraising. She

received her award from Education Commissioner Deborah Gist in the school auditorium to

thunderous applause from faculty members, school children and invited guests. Commissioner

Gist described Ms. Lafreniere as being “a teacher who by all accounts is completely devoted to

her students,” and as someone who "brings joy and a spirit of fun to the classroom"; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Lafreniere, in addition to receiving the Rhode Island Teacher of the

Year Award, received a bouquet of flowers, and a new Smart Car emblazoned with the words

"2016 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year." She also immediately becomes a candidate for the

2016 National Teacher of the Year Award; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to her official teaching duties, Ms. Lafreniere serves on the

Executive Board of the Rhode Island Reading Project, serves as a Common Core Ambassador for

the Rhode Island Department of Education, is the co-chair of the School Improvement Team at

North Smithfield Elementary School, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate Literacy Clinic

at Providence College; and

     WHEREAS, Thanks to Tracy Lafreniere, and teachers like her, every day a young

student in Rhode Island has their life impacted in a positive way. Her gentle encouragement,

compassion and understanding have made a big difference in the lives of the young children in

her care. Perhaps Tracy described her purpose in life best when she said that she "loves walking

through the doors of the school each and every day because it feels like home, you feel like my

family"; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates Tracy L. Lafreniere on receiving the 2016 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year

Award. We thank her for being a dedicated and passionate teaching professional who has made

an enormously positive impact on the lives of many young school children, and we wish her

continued success as a candidate for the National Teacher of the Year Award; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Tracy Lafreniere.

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