LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Michaela Durand was nominated by a parent, Cat Lamy.

Mrs. Durand is a true lifechanger for the students at Madison Middle School. She is a techonology integration specialist and has embraced her role of infusing technology into the classroom and beyond at her school.  Previously, she taught third grade at Tashua School, and was an exceptional teacher, so when the District developed the technology integration specialist positions, she was recuited right away.  The techology intergration specialists need to be both savvy with technology and nuturing with the students. Today's children need a different classroom environment, and Mrs. Durand is committed to making that happen. She makes lessons come alive with technology, and makes that technology accessible to all students. She works directly with the teachers to come up with creative and interesting ways to use technology in each teacher's lessons.  On her own personal time, she takes courses to learn new technology, so that she is always current with the newest developments.

In addition to her work in the classroom, she has worked with the PTA to automate systems, broadcasts the morning announcements for the school and manages the school's Twitter feed.  She also worked with her counterparts to develop a presentation for the entire community of Trumbull on Digital Citizenship.  She is always willing and eager to do any project she is asked to help with, and has made herself available countless times during her personal time.  To thank the PTA for their work on Teacher Appreciation Week, she coordinated having all of the teachers at the school wear the same t-shirt, then she had photos taken and posted it on the school website in an app that had words of appreciation from all of the teachers, similar to a live digital card.  "She is, hands down, making a huge difference at our school!"