Seymour Schools Names Educator of the Year

SEYMOUR – Since 2007, elementary school counselor Jessica DeNigris has worked to create a safe and calming space for students experiencing anxiety and other social emotional issues at home or in school.

Her office at Chatfield-LoPresti School boasts a beach theme this year, complete with a kid-size lounge chair, jellyfish lava lamp and sound machine to provide soothing background noise.

“I change up the theme every year and I try to keep it very chill, low key and keep it cozy and a place where students know they can come to decompress and talk about their feelings,” DeNigris said.

For Teacher Appreciation Week, DeNigris said one of CLS’ fifth graders – who she’s been working with since third grade – left a heartfelt card on her desk.

“Her card, in part, read ​‘Thank you so much for being there all these years. I’ll miss you when I go to Seymour Middle School. You look out for everybody, and I want you to look at yourself and say, ​‘I am a hero.’”

The exterior of the card featured a hand-drawn heart by the student, with the words ​‘I am important, I am strong, I am smart, I am a counselor.’

DeNigris was so moved by the card that she shared it during her interview last month with the selection committee who decides Seymour’s teacher/educator of the year.

They ultimately chose DeNigris as Seymour’s 2025 – 2026 Educator of the Year.

DeNigris said she was a nervous wreck following her May 13 interview with the panel.

She was pacing in her driveway, talking to her mom and rehashing her answers when a phone number from Kentucky popped up on the screen. She knew the number as Seymour Schools Superintendent Susan Compton.

“Dr. Compton let me know that I was the 2025 – 2026 Educator of the Year and I was thrilled. I ran inside to tell my husband and son. A huge family hug and cheer happened in the DeNigris home that evening,” she said.

Moments like what DeNigris experienced with the fifth grader is a testament to why she pursued a career in school counseling. 

She always knew she wanted to do something in education, especially growing up in a home of educators. Her parents were both educators. Her dad is longtime Seymour Board of Education member Ed Strumello, a former principal of Mead School in Ansonia and principal of Bungay School. Her sister-in-law is a teacher at Bungay School. 

But it wasn’t until DeNigris shadowed a counselor years ago at the former LoPresti School that she knew that was the job for her.

DeNigris, 43, earned her undergraduate degree from Central Connecticut State University with a major in psychology, and graduate degree from Southern Connecticut State University with a Masters in School Counseling. She began her counseling career at New Fairfield Middle School in 2006 and came to Seymour a year later.

DeNigris works with kids in grades K‑5 who come to see her for a variety of reasons. Whether they’re dealing with family changes, issues at home or having problems in school with friends or with schoolwork, they know they can seek her out.

“Sometimes parents reach out, or teachers or older students who are concerned about one of their peers who ask me to check on their friends,” DeNigris said. ​“Kids can’t learn unless their basic emotions and needs are being met. And I tell them all emotions are okay and I’m here to help.”

DeNigris recalled an uptick in social emotional issues with students during the COVID-19 pandemic when students’ normal in-school routines were turned upside-down. Learning via Zoom became the norm for a while and when it was safe to return back to the classroom in person, DeNigris noticed some changes.

“When kids came back after the pandemic, many experienced some true anxiety. Whether it was from an ill family member or they themselves were ill, there was a fear of rejoining the school community again,” DeNigris said. ​“The way we had to learn did impact the face-to-face relationship building, and we’re still trying to come back from that. I think for most part we have rebounded.”

DeNigris said she’s always available to the entire CLS student body, which numbers more than 540 students.

“The students always have access to me,” she said. ​“I have the privilege of seeing students the first day they step off the school bus to when they walk across the stage at graduation.”

A Seymour native, DeNigris attended Seymour schools, and is a graduate of Seymour High School’s Class of ​’99. She and her husband Joe reside in Oxford with their four-year-old son, Jiovanni and cat Oliver.

Compton said DeNigris is a great fit to represent the district.

“Jessica exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding educator, supporting students’ emotional and academic growth and striving to ensure that every student reaches their fullest potential,” Compton said. ​“Her passion and dedication are truly inspiring, and she is a shining example of educational excellence.”