Celebrating 20 Years of Julie Santoni, Math Teacher Extraordinaire

Oak Ridge Principal Trish Hill shared her thoughts about Julie Santoni at the Employee Recognition Ceremony….

I have the honor of recognizing Julie Santoni for her 25 years of service to the students of Sandwich.  I first met Julie when she was a teacher at Forestdale and I was a science curriculum coordinator. From our first meeting, I quickly recognizes she is a force to be reckoned with.  She is intelligent, forward thinking and not afraid to speak her mind. Julie is a fierce advocate for her students and is passionate about math. She is a leader in her department and has served as a Team Leader for her grade level.  She cares deeply for her students and more than anything wants them to be the best they can be.

Math can be daunting for a lot of kids, it can cause anxiety in kids (and their parents for that matter)  but Julie always make it seem, not easy, that would be the wrong term, but do-able, achievable, within their control.   She is confident in their ability to master the complex with confidence. She shows kids the beauty and the logic in math and the importance of it.

On many occasions, I’ve had the privilege of being in Julie’s class and have seen first hand how she challenges students to think deeply about math, helping them understand the real world applications.   In every class visit, Julie’s belief in her students comes through.

She doesn’t give up on kids and pushes them to do their best.  She infuses the values of grit and perseverance into all she does.  

Julie, thank you for your dedication to the field, to your students and to our school.  Thank you for the foundation you give our students that help them grow as learners and give them the confidence to overcome challenges in math and in life.

Please join me in honoring Julie Santoni on her 25 years of excellent service to the students and families of the Sandwich Public Schools.