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Helen Free and Caitlin Farley Honored as Teachers of the Year
English Teacher Helen Free and Science teacher Caitlin Farley were selected by their peers as Gonzaga’s Veteran Teacher of the Year and Novice Teacher of the Year, respectively. The awards recognize teachers from each Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Washington who “embrace teaching as a ministry, proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and demonstrate respect for the Catholic identity and the charism of his/her school.”
The awardees would typically be recognized at the annual Professional Development Day organized by the High School Principals Association of the Archdiocese of Washington, however that event unfortunately could not be held due to the pandemic. Printed below are the citations recognizing Mrs. Free and Ms. Farley for their dedication and hard work. Congratulations to both!
Veteran Teacher of the Year
Helen Free has been teaching English at Gonzaga since 1983. She is the longest serving member of Gonzaga’s English department. Helen's care and concern for her students and their success in and outside of the classroom make her one of the most popular and sought after members of the English department. Her work with students doesn't end when they leave her classroom; every year she writes dozens of college recommendation letters for her former students, and she is a valuable resource for them as they write their own college essays. She quickly builds rapport with students and is always willing to help them workshop a writing sample to develop their voice as writers. In addition to formerly serving as department chair, Helen has served on nearly all of Gonzaga’s most important committees during her tenure, including Admissions, Academic Council and Diversity. As an AP teacher, Helen regularly boasts a pass rate of over 90% for her students. Novice and veteran teachers alike look to her for pedagogical guidance as she is a model of what it means to be a Catholic, Jesuit educator.
Novice Teacher of the Year
Caitlin Farley arrived at Gonzaga in the fall of 2017 as a science teacher. Since then, she has immersed herself in the life of the school. Caitlin moderates the Student Government, regularly serves on retreat and service teams, was elected by her peers to the Headmaster’s Advisory Committee and currently serves on Gonzaga’s ReOpen Task Force. A force for all things good, Caitlin is constantly trying to improve the Gonzaga experience for the boys in her charge. She is constantly in her classroom helping students during lunch periods or after school, often in subjects she doesn't even teach. Caitlin has proven herself to be dedicated to the overall student experience at Gonzaga well beyond the walls of her classroom. She is also always willing to help out a colleague in almost anything. She gives suggestions for class ideas, helps clean up a lab, or will just stick around for a couple of hours after school to keep people company. She is an ideal and generous colleague. Caitlin is also a proud graduate of Visitation and a sister, cousin and aunt to many a Gonzaga alum!
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The awardees would typically be recognized at the annual Professional Development Day organized by the High School Principals Association of the Archdiocese of Washington, however that event unfortunately could not be held due to the pandemic. Printed below are the citations recognizing Mrs. Free and Ms. Farley for their dedication and hard work. Congratulations to both!
Veteran Teacher of the Year
Helen Free has been teaching English at Gonzaga since 1983. She is the longest serving member of Gonzaga’s English department. Helen's care and concern for her students and their success in and outside of the classroom make her one of the most popular and sought after members of the English department. Her work with students doesn't end when they leave her classroom; every year she writes dozens of college recommendation letters for her former students, and she is a valuable resource for them as they write their own college essays. She quickly builds rapport with students and is always willing to help them workshop a writing sample to develop their voice as writers. In addition to formerly serving as department chair, Helen has served on nearly all of Gonzaga’s most important committees during her tenure, including Admissions, Academic Council and Diversity. As an AP teacher, Helen regularly boasts a pass rate of over 90% for her students. Novice and veteran teachers alike look to her for pedagogical guidance as she is a model of what it means to be a Catholic, Jesuit educator.
Novice Teacher of the Year
Caitlin Farley arrived at Gonzaga in the fall of 2017 as a science teacher. Since then, she has immersed herself in the life of the school. Caitlin moderates the Student Government, regularly serves on retreat and service teams, was elected by her peers to the Headmaster’s Advisory Committee and currently serves on Gonzaga’s ReOpen Task Force. A force for all things good, Caitlin is constantly trying to improve the Gonzaga experience for the boys in her charge. She is constantly in her classroom helping students during lunch periods or after school, often in subjects she doesn't even teach. Caitlin has proven herself to be dedicated to the overall student experience at Gonzaga well beyond the walls of her classroom. She is also always willing to help out a colleague in almost anything. She gives suggestions for class ideas, helps clean up a lab, or will just stick around for a couple of hours after school to keep people company. She is an ideal and generous colleague. Caitlin is also a proud graduate of Visitation and a sister, cousin and aunt to many a Gonzaga alum!
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