TRUMBULL, Conn. – Cooperative Educational Services is proud to announce its 2021 Teacher of the Year is Donna Tomasko, who works in the Transition Learning Center (TLC) in the CES Special Education division.
Donna has been teaching in special education for 36 years and started at CES in 1991. She said she was inspired to become a teacher by her parents, who “instilled in me the importance of an education and have taught me to work hard, help others, be compassionate and be humble.”
After growing up near Providence, R.I., Donna earned a BS in both Elementary and Special Education from the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, Conn. She also has a Masters degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University.
In addition to her degrees, Donna says first-hand experience in a classroom was an invaluable part of her education.
“I entered the special education field when it was relatively new to schools,” she said. “Fortunately, I was able to quickly learn from the teachers and staff members who were also in the same predicament.”
Terri Garrity, the TLC program administrator at CES, calls Donna “an extremely committed professional who really goes above and beyond.”
“She’s usually one of the first to arrive and last to leave each day,” Terri said. “She’s very creative and flexible, and incorporates a healthy dose of humor into everything she does.”
Donna is now eligible for the 2021 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced on Nov. 10 in Hartford. To see past award winners at CES, visit www.ces.k12.ct.us/about/teacher-of-the-year.
