Celebrating Ellen Mantenfel ~ 25 years Teaching and Supporting Students and Teachers

On Tuesday December 9th, the Town of Sandwich and the Sandwich Public Schools came together to honor their employees for their years of service. Trish Hill, Principal at Oak Ridge, prepared these remarks about Ellen Mantenfel.

Being an educator is an investment of one’s self in the hopes and dreams of others.  Ellen Mantenfel has embodied that investment during her 25 years of service to the children and families of Sandwich.

After graduating from Northeastern University with her Bachelor’s in Education, she pursued a Masters Degree in Speech Pathology from Case Western University.  We were lucky enough to have Ellen join the team in Sandwich as a Speech Pathologist.  While in the role, she pursed her Masters in Education and sought professional development opportunities in Literacy at every turn.

During her career, Mrs. Mantenfel  has served as a Speech and Language teacher, a first grade teacher and most recently as a Literacy Coach.  It is in this role that I have come to know Mrs. Mantenfel.  As a literacy coach she has been an advocate for teachers and has lead them in high quality Professional Development.  She has trained new hires to the district in the methods and pedagogy of the Literacy Model that has transformed Reading, Writing and Word Study education in Sandwich.  Mrs. Mantenfel has pushed our veteran faculty to question, consider and stretch their expertise in order to personalize the education of the children in front of them.  She analyzes data and uses this information to lead our team to catch students who otherwise may have slipped through the cracks.  Mrs.Mantenfel implements interventions that will ultimately affect how these children see themselves as a reader and as a learner.

There are few that are more passionate about Literacy than Mrs. Mantenfel.  They say that the reading you do as a child shapes you in a way that no other reading in your life can.  In her work, Mrs. Mantenfel has not only helped shaped the lives of the children in her care, but has shaped the people they will become.  So although we acknowledge and recognize the past 25 years of service she has given; we also celebrate the legacy of the future she has helped shape for years to come.