Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton gives flowers to Katie Furino, Seymour's Teacher of the Year.
SEYMOUR – Since she was four years old, Katie Furino knew she wanted to be a teacher.
So it’s only fitting that Furino, 37, has been named the Seymour School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2024 – 2025.
“I am truly over the moon,” Furino told the Valley Indy via an email Monday (May 13).
Furino is a second-grade teacher at Bungay Elementary School. She came onboard here in 2016, having taught kindergarten, first and second grade, as well as special education.
Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton surprised Furino last week to break the news that she’d been selected as Seymour’s top teacher.
“Dr. Compton and my principals Mrs. Reid and Mrs. Long came into my classroom with yellow roses,” Furino said. “Dr. Compton gave such a beautiful, heartfelt speech to myself and my students and truly made me tear up. My class was beyond excited for me. They came running up to me and gave me a group hug. They made me cards and parents wrote me kind messages.”
Compton, in a districtwide letter, announced that Furino had been named Teacher of the Year.
“Katie is a wonderful example of a teacher who has been dedicated and committed to making sure all of her students succeed,” Compton wrote. “A teacher’s job is to instill a love of learning and to teach their students in order to make them better individuals, and Katie has been successful in this endeavor.”
Beyond the classroom, Furino devotes her time to volunteering for events like the Seymour Christmas Parade and Girls on the Run, according to Bungay School Principal Lauren Reid. Reid said Furino also led a school-wide book event this year, ensuring every student had access to books at home, regardless of their economic background.
“Her dedication to equity in education is unwavering,” Reid said. “What truly sets Mrs. Furino apart is her genuine love for learning and profound care for each child as an individual. In her classroom, curiosity thrives, and students are empowered to explore their interests.”
Furino’s late mom, Ginger Riordan, has been the inspiration behind everything Furino does in her own teaching career.
“I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was four years old,” Furino said. “My mother taught for 35 years in Ansonia, and she was my role model and inspiration. Since her passing, she is everything I dream to be.”
Furino, who is married to husband Jim, and mom to two boys Brayden, 8 and Parker, 5, earned her undergrad degree in Elementary Education & Special Education from the University of Hartford; master’s degree in reading from SCSU and sixth year administration certificate in Educational Leadership from SCSU, as well.
Her favorite part of teaching is the kids, of course.
“I enjoy watching the students grow from the beginning of the year to the end of the year,” she said. “I like that I can develop relationships with so many of them, and still stay in touch with many families with whom I have taught. I enjoy growing as a classroom family and developing a bond as a class where students feel safe to learn, make mistakes and grow.”
Furino said coming into her classroom everyday and helping her students do their best is what makes teaching so rewarding.
“I can think of several students that did not enjoy reading and now love picking up a good book,” she said. “Once they practice and continue to put in effort, finding the right book is all it takes.”
The biggest takeaway Furino hopes to instill in her students is to be kind.
“Kindness goes a long way, and it is my daily message,” she said. “They know how strongly I feel about each child being kind and deserving to be in a classroom filled with kind children. They are our future and if they can be kind to one another, then the rest will fall into place.”
Former Bungay School Principal Mary Sue Feige, who now works as the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, said Furino was a great choice for the honor.
“Katie is a natural teacher,” Feige told the Valley Indy via an email. “She loves teaching, and this is demonstrated through her kind, enthusiastic and thoughtful way that she inspires all children in her classroom to be successful every moment of the day. I love going into Katie’s classroom and seeing the smiles on her students’ face.”
Two of Furino’s students agreed with Feige.
“Mrs. Furino is kind and caring,” said Ella Herold, 7. “She teaches her kids kindness and sharing.”
Edward Demko, 8, agreed, saying “Mrs. Furino is funny. She is fun and makes learning fun for us. She is really cool. She takes care of us.”
Furino said she shares the top teacher honor with those around her.
“The teachers I work with everyday also help make me who I am,” she said. “Some have become my very best friends. We all support one another and lift each other up when days are hard. They are just as amazing and deserving of this award and I have them to thank for my success too.”
