Veteran teacher honored by district

WINSTED — In mid-August just before the school year started, Kimberly Baker was named by the Winchester School District as its Teacher of the Year.

Baker, a Waterbury native, holds a Master of Arts degree from Central Connecticut State University and a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Central Connecticut State University, both in special education.

“I have a cousin who is a special education teacher,” Baker said as the reason why she got into teaching. “I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I was in college. I knew that I enjoyed working as a camp councilor when I was working in high school.”

Baker said that she went into her cousin’s classroom to observe her teaching.

“I liked what she was doing,” Baker said. “After watching her, I thought that I could teach too.”

Baker worked as as a student teacher in the West Hartford, New Britain and Southington school districts.

“I don’t know how, but I got an interview in Winsted in 1980. I liked what I saw in the community and I liked what I saw at Pearson Middle School. I took that as my first job.”

Baker has now been teaching in the school district for 36 years.

“I’m the dinosaur of the group,” Baker joked.

Baker taught at Pearson for 28 years, serving as a special education teacher for grades 6 through 12 and at times as the school district’s special education team leader.

Since 2011, Baker’s special education classroom has been located at The Gilbert School.

“About five years ago, the special education staff in grades seven and eight became part of the Gilbert family,” Baker said. “Even though I am a Winchester school district employee, my program is housed at The Gilbert School.”

Baker currently teaches high school special education students in the 11th and 12th grades.

“Winsted is a small town and there are a lot of benefits to working in a small town at a small school,” she said. “You really get to know your kids and their families. It’s kind of like working in the 1950’s and 1960’s where everybody has a neighborhood school. Once you have one child you will then have their brothers, sisters and cousins. Then you develop relationships with the families. You don’t end up with the problems you have in inner city school districts.”

When asked what has changed when it comes to the students of the district over a 36-year period, Baker said not much has changed.

“Some people may say that children have gotten worse over the years, but they really have not gotten worse,” Baker said. “They haven’t changed an awful lot. In fact, I think they have gotten better. Maybe it’s the way we do things that is different than when I first started. When I look at my senior class, they are more like my co-workers than they are my kids or my students.”

As for advice to teachers who are just entering the field of education, Baker said that “the first year is always the hardest.

“Don’t judge the rest of your career by the first year,” she said. “Stick with it and have a good sense of humor. And for students, stick with your studies and remember your teacher is a human being too. Have a good sense of humor and a good attitude.”

Baker said that she was surprised when she was named the Teacher of the Year by the school district.

“There are not a lot of people that I started with still teaching in the district,” Baker said. “I’m honored and thrilled, but I’m shocked. From what I’ve seen of the school district in the past 36 years, if nothing else we never give up. We keep trying. It has never been easy. The economies in Connecticut and Winsted have gotten worse. But, on a day-to-day basis, people show up in Winsted with the best of intentions and best of attitudes. We don’t give up.”

Baker said she wanted to thank the first class she taught almost 36 years ago.

“They were difficult, but funny,” she said. “I think they felt sorry for me because I was the new kid and kind.”

As for the school district itself, Baker said that, at some point, she would like to see Gilbert and the Winchester School District merge.

“It’s difficult to be two things at one time,” Baker said. “You have a small pie economically. The way everything is set up now, we are in competition with each other for that very small pie. Intentions are good and cooperation is key, which is something everyone understands. But it’s difficult because of the finances here.”

Baker said that she would like to encourage more young people to get into the field of teaching.

“It may not be the most glamorous job and in some districts it is not the most high paying job,” she said. “But as far as personal and emotional awards, you can’t beat it.”