NAME:
Mrs. Heather Castonguay
SCHOOL:
Pentucket Regional School District
Position:
Curriculum Coordinator
SCHOOL PHONE:
I am the curriculum coordinator for Pentucket Regional School District. I
enthusiastically work in the Bagnall School in Groveland, Donaghue and
Sweetsir Schools in Merrimac and the Page School in West Newbury.
Previously I was the English Language Arts Instructional Speicialist for
Middleton Public Schools and a part of the Leadership Team. I also, taught
second grade for ten years for the Topsfield Schools. In my earlier career,
I taught in the preschool and special education in grades 3-5.
I have a Masters Degree in Technology in Education, a Bachelors Degree in
Elementary Education, and an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education.
I was very active in the Tri-Town School District community. I served 8
years on the technology committee. I created the past two Topsfield
Technology Plans with Topsfield's technology specialist. I have aligned the
K-6 technology curriculum with the Massachusetts Frameworks and created a
document for teachers to reference their technology curriculum and see how
each grade level lesson ties in with the technology framework standards. I
have been on the report committee in both Topsfield and Middleton creating
standards based report cards from Power Standards. I created the
districts first computerized report card template that later we transformed
into Topsfield's electronic report cards.
I have provided many professional development workshops across the Tri-Town
School Union including: balanced literacy training, administering
assessments to document and drive instruction, open response questions,
electronic standards-based report cards, First Class email, facilitated My
Learning Plan professional development website, PowerPoint presentations,
Smartboard Training and many other technology related projects. I have also
taught basic technology skills to Topsfield senior citizens.
I was a member of the interview committee for the 2005-2006 Steward School
Principal Search working collaboratively with colleagues, parents, and
administrators, including the superintendent in choosing the best candidate
for the position. I was the Topsfield Teacher's Association treasurer for 4
years.
I am very dedicated to my career and love to interact with children and
share my best practices with teachers.
My favorite curriculum project I have created is the literacy
journal. I love the accountability and documentation of the curriculum and
the amazing portfolio of work the children have at the end of the school
year. The children love to look through their journals and reflect on their
work and the amazing growth they achieve. This Literacy Journal is
used in many classrooms in Topsfield and Middleton and several
classrooms in the Ipswich Public Schools as well.
Another educational accomplishment I am proud of is creating a Literacy
Center for Fuller Meadow School in Middleton. The Literacy Center is a
comfortable place where teachers worked with professional resources, planned
literacy lessons and had access to over a thousand Fountas and Pinnell
leveled readers for student differentiated instruction. Currently I am
starting to build a Literacy Center at the Donaghue School in Merrimac. This
Literacy Center supports our Tufts collaboration in implementing a balanced
literacy model of instruction.
On a personal note: I have been married for 18 years to my husband Brian and
I have two daughters, Taylor and Madison.
I also have a dog named Brady and a cat named Jack. I enjoy teaching,
reading, shopping, computers, boating and spending time with family and
friends.
I take great pride in my work. Proudly, I've received an award for my
outstanding work in the Middleton Public Schools as an English Language Arts
Instructional Specialist.
My last year in Topsfield I was honored in the creation of the outdoor
classroom garden.
Education is my life and I take great pride in making sure every child gets
the education they deserve.