Sara Leisten honored as Norwich Free Academy teacher of the year

Norwich ― Norwich Free Academy science teacher Sara Leisten led a field trip to Southwick’s Zoo one day last April with three busloads of 10th graders and parents.

“It poured all day,” she recalled. “We had a such a good time.”

Upon returning to the NFA campus after the long trip to Mendon, Mass., Leisten’s day was not done. She had her interview with the selection committee for the school’s teacher of the year award.

Leisten, 40, who is starting her 18th year as an NFA science teacher, was honored Monday as the teacher of the year in front of a Slater Auditorium packed with faculty and staff to launch the new school year. She was a bit hesitant in her obligation to lead the gathering in singing the alma mater but was “so excited” to read the school’s mission statement that dates to its 1856 founding.

The statement says NFA strives to “return to our hamlets and homes its priceless freight of youthful minds, enriched by learning, developed by a liberal culture, refined by study of all that is beautiful in nature and art, and prepared for the highest usefulness and the purest happiness.”

Leisten said she was meant to become a teacher, even though her mother, Linda Bennett, a 42-year teacher in East Lyme schools, urged her to choose a different profession.

“She knew it was hard to teach,” Leisten said. “But she knew how rewarding and important a job it was. I can’t think of a day she didn’t come home laughing at something that went on. There are days you come home crying, but every day there’s a moment of joy in watching kids learn and grow.”

Leisten’s husband, Thomas Leisten, teaches science at Glastonbury High School and is a finalist this year for the president’s award in math and science education.

“He’s kind of my mentor as well,” she said. “On our road trips, we talk about grading policies.”

Leisten earned her bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut and completed a one-year teachers’ certificate program at UConn. She earned a sixth-year degree at Sacred Heart University.

At age 22, Leisten was hired as a science teacher at NFA. The summer before she started, veteran NFA teacher Heather Botelle invited Leisten to her home and coached her on what to expect.

On her first day of teaching, during a staff gathering not unlike Monday’s, Leisten watched in awe as Botelle, now retired, was honored as teacher of the year.

“She was one of the first of many mentors for me,” Leisten said.

Leisten mostly teaches biology at NFA, but she has branched out to teach veterinary science, physiology, anatomy and zoology, including unified zoology, which pairs special and regular education students. This year, she designed a paleontology elective on early life on earth.

Another of Leisten’s mentors at NFA is Jason Croteau, a member of her teaching group. Croteau, a 22-year NFA teacher, was on the interview team that recommended hiring Leisten.

Last spring, he nominated her for teacher of the year. Croteau said he had nominated her the previous year as well and planned to keep on nominating Leisten until she won, or he retired. Croteau said Leisten always puts student learning first in everything she does and in how she evaluates new educational directives or policies.

“She’s smart and well researched,” Croteau said. “She really cares about the kids. Everything she wants to learn about education is geared toward student success.”

Croteau said Leisten is concerned not only with academics but with how students are faring emotionally and socially and that they have a voice in the process.

“When I think about how I want to be as a teacher, I want to be like her,” Croteau said.

c.bessette@theday.com