Kristy Zaleta Is Danbury’s Teacher Of The Year

DANBURY, Conn. – Rogers Park Middle School eighth-grade science teacher Kristy Zaleta has been named Danbury’s teacher of the year, an honor she says she did not see coming.

“A complete shock,” she said this week. But if you spend even five minutes with Zaleta, you can hear in her voice the genuine passion she has for teaching. Zaleta will be honored by the Board of Education at a reception Wednesday night at the school.

The Danbury resident and mother of two – her 2-year-old is not yet in school but her 7-year-old is a second-grader at Hayestown Avenue Elementary – grew up in a family of teachers, including both parents.

And even during her eight years as a research scientist before becoming a teacher, Zaleta knew she would follow in the family business. She has been a teacher at Rogers Park for 10 years.

“Teaching is a profession, not a job,” she said. “You have to love what you’re doing to be a teacher.”

Teaching at the middle school level is particularly challenging because of the age of the students, Zaleta said. She credits her fellow teachers and administrators at Rogers Park for engaging each other and the students. Principal Patricia Joaquim echoed that sentiment and took it a step further by stressing that Zaleta leads by example.

“Kristy is an outstanding teacher, she’s a leader and we love her,” Joaquim said. “Her knowledge of science is excellent, but more importantly she’s able to break down difficult subjects for the students to help them better understand what they’re learning.”

Zaleta’s ability and willingness to collaborate with her colleagues is also impressive, Joaquim added. For example, Zaleta took it upon herself to work with other eighth-grade teachers to pilot a new block scheduling system and now the entire school uses it.

“She came forward and said the eighth grade would pilot it for a year, and it has been a big success,” Joaquim said.

Zaleta is working on a doctorate at Western Connecticut State University in instructional leadership, and she said she envisions a future as a school administrator. But she has no plans to leave middle school teaching any time soon.

“You have to try to connect with your students, particularly at this age. I try to keep up with what they’re into because it can help to reach them,” Zaleta said. “If they think you’re trying to talk above their heads they’ll tune you out.”

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