Derby High School math teacher David Chevarella started off the new school year on the right foot Thursday morning — he was named Teacher of the Year for 2012.
Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tracy made the announcement during the annual opening day breakfast for teachers, held at the new Derby Middle School.
“This is very humbling,” said Chevarella, 38, who is in his 16th year of teaching in Derby.
Chevarella was chosen for his teaching skills as well as his communication, keeping a lively rapport with the students, all of whom he comes to know, said Tracy.
In the classroom, “I try to have fun, joke around, and make it a stress free environment. I want you to be relaxed,” Chevarella said.
Chevarella is the head coach for the Derby High School girls basketball team, and also coaches football and track.
He is a Derby native, and still lives here with his wife, Jodi, and their four children, who all attend Derby schools.
“I went to school in Derby from Kindergarten through high school and never wanted to teach or coach anywhere else,” Chevarella said.
That’s because Derby is a close-knit, small community, he said. It is a place where everyone knows everyone, and people pull together.
Chevarella has a master’s degree in school health from Southern Connecticut State University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Sacred Heart University.
He said he was on vacation with his family in Disneyworld when he got the cell phone call from school headquarters, alerting him to his selection as Teacher of the Year.
“At first I was nervous, I thought, what would the superintendent want to talk to me about in the summer, when I’m on vacation,” he said with a laugh.
It turned out to be good news for him though, and now he gets a chance to compete for Connecticut Teacher of the Year, in the fall.
Mayor Anthony Staffieri was there at the breakfast ceremony to congratulate him on his status.
“It’s positive stuff,” Staffieri said, saying he was glad the local district gives this recognition to the teachers.
“What they do, they do so well,” Staffieri said of the Derby teachers.
After receiving his honors in the breakfast ceremony, Chevarella and other teachers split off into groups for their preparation sessions for the new school year.
The first day of school for students is Aug. 30.
