For the third year in a row, a member of the Belmont Day School Associate Teacher Program has won Lesley University’s Graduate School of Education June T. Fox Scholarship Award. Catherine (Cat) DiCara ’12, not only a member of this year’s associate teacher cohort but also a BDS alum, was selected from a competitive pool of graduate colleagues. The June Fox committee recognizes only one student for that individual’s outstanding work with children, academic scholarship, effective collaboration with peers and colleagues, and their potential for leadership in education. When a BDS associate won the June Fox in 2019 it was remarkable not only for the recipient but for our community as well. To win it again in 2020 was extraordinary, and to win it for a third consecutive year is unheard of!
Third grade teacher Larissa Rochford ’93, also an alum of BDS and the Associate Teacher Program, has served as Cat’s mentor teacher this year. And as if that wasn’t enough of a double-take, Cat was a student in Larissa’s classroom when she attended Belmont Day as a child! In her nomination letter to the June Fox committee about what Cat brings to the classroom, Larissa wrote, “Cat encompasses all aspects of a thoughtful, qualified, and energized teacher who leads with empathy, enthusiasm, and respect for her students and colleagues. As my mentee, Cat has taken on all of her work, along with challenges that have come her way, with poise, confidence, and perseverance. It is clear that she has the skill set, flexibility, calm demeanor, and passion for the profession to succeed and continue to grow in the field.”
Congratulations to Cat for this great honor, and congratulations to all of the associates and associate mentors this year who have shown such dedication to their students and their teaching craft.
