Ellen Watts

Lowenhaupt Award Recipient

Excerpt from Mr. Cooke’s speech from the Annual Meeting in May 2023:

Every year one Community School faculty member is recognized for his or her work furthering the education of young children through excellence in program development in their classroom, presenting educational information at conferences or workshops, or publishing works for other educational professionals. The award is named in honor of Henry C. Lowenhaupt, an important member of Community School in the 1970s. In addition to recognition tonight and in a permanent display in the main office, there is a cash award that accompanies it.

In one of the nominations that led to this year’s award winner, this teacher was described as “a role model for patience, kindness, and care for children and adults. Love is contagious, and she makes everyone feel loved.”

I imagine that, when she was hired here in 1995, the administrators saw in her what we see now: Someone fiercely devoted to helping children learn and grow, and equally committed to ensuring that every child feels cared for and loved. Those are just some of the characteristics that led Ellen Watts to being chosen for this year’s Lowenhaupt Award.

Her work as a Senior Kindergarten teacher here at Community is exemplary. Ellen brings a kindness and humor to the classroom every day, and her patience with children is legendary—a particularly important skill when your students are 5 and 6 year olds! She has a commitment to children learning through exploration and hands-on projects, perhaps best exemplified in the

That focus on nature extends to the outdoors, which Ellen ensures is a regular part of her students’ experience. She has also built social studies into the curriculum, with the amazing China unit being a perfect example. She has a deep belief in searching for better ways to do things, and is one of the first to be open to new ways of doing things—witness the improvements in the school’s math program as Ellen has embraced the Math in Focus approach. She is thoughtful as she approaches every aspect of the classroom, whether it is reading stories to kids, thinking about the social and emotional growth of her students, teaching the little ‘life lessons,’ or serving as a partner and team member to her teaching partner. Oh, and if a student in another classroom needs a place to go to refocus, Ellen’s classroom is the first place her peers think of.

However, it is important to note that Ellen’s positive impact at Community School goes far beyond the classroom. Ellen is attuned to keeping a focus on ensuring that the school is a safe place for us all; for instance, she was an invaluable member of the Community School Health and Safety Committee during the pandemic. That was no small task, requiring significant investments of time, and carrying the burden of ensuring the safety of all.

Ellen has also worked to improve education across the entire school. In 2015 Ellen took on the leadership role of helping teachers become stronger as they applied Responsive Classroom with their students. This program is essential to the overall health of the institution, because a consistent approach to helping students become kind, caring members of the school, and having the same expectations for behavior across all grades, is key to making this a school where all children can thrive. Ellen presents frequently at division meetings on Responsive Classroom, and takes on the responsibility to deliver updates and reminders to teachers on the core principles of the program. Ellen coaches new teachers as they begin at Community School, and serves as an active resource to all, sharing her knowledge base from continual training. And she uses her wonderful teaching skills as she brings Responsive Classroom to life for teachers—for instance, she created a book for everyone that talks about the power of language, and a basket of terms that prompt critical thinking that serves as a grab-bag of teaching prompts for everyone.

Perhaps most importantly, Ellen is kind, sincere, and genuine. Her love of Community School, the children in her care, and her peers here at work is unparalleled. Ellen has a great sense of dry humor, and can be relied upon to bring levity at any time. She is committed to her craft, and has had an impact far beyond her own classroom, but she remains modest and self-effacing. I guarantee you that Ellen is currently in shock at being named this year’s honoree. She can—and will—tell us all the great things that others are doing, that others should have received this award, and that she’s just doing what she can to make the school a better place for children. And that’s the point: She IS doing what she can to make the school a better place for children, and in so doing, she makes this a better school for everyone.

Opposite page: Ellen Watts, 2023 Lowenhaupt Award recipient. This page: 2023 Service Award recipients.

Service Awards

We honored twelve Community School team members for their tenure at the Annual Meeting.

Thank you for your service!

5 Years of Service (2018)

Kristin Campanella

Wendy Cooper

Stephen Lott

Maureen Ross-Lang

10 Years of Service (2013)

Sarah McCarthy

Megan Futhey

15 Years of Service (2008)

Barbara Jaworski

Katie Norris

Trish Reeb

20 Years of Service (2003)

Sandra Cirrito

25 Years of Service (1998)

Dana Scott Saulsberry

35 Years of Service (1988)

Marty Hoessle