Position: Lead Fifth Grade Teacher
School: Eaton Elementary School
School District: District of Columbia Public Schools
City, State: Washington, DC
Margaret Lombardo was nominated by her colleague, Angelo Parodi.
Ms. Lombardo is an indefatigable warrior in the name of teaching her students. She comes into school every single day with nothing less than unbridled enthusiasm and joy. She passes those feelings on to not only her students, but every person who is lucky enough to cross her path for the day. From the start of her career at John Eaton, Ms. Lombardo dove into the life of her school by volunteering for committee assignments, tutoring or counseling students during her lunch hour, playing games during recess, and always being a support to her fellow teachers.
Ms. Lombardo leads Eaton's social-emotional learning team. She embodies the very qualities that are invested in the philosophy of social-emotional learning. Although she is the youngest teacher in her grade level, she has led that grade level for the last three years with a conscientious, determined quality. Her colleagues in the fifth grade feel fortunate to have her as their lead.
As a teacher, Ms. Lombardo achieves excellent results year-in, year-out. It's not simply in test scores, though, where Ms. Lombardo succeeds. Her success can be read in the way her students grow emotionally and academically. She gives them an example to live by that brings out the best in all of them. The love and care she shows her students, the things she demonstrates she is willing to do for them, and the way she listens and responds to their concerns all come out in a class spirit that is evidenced in their excellent scores on tests and performance of school projects.
"Maggie is the paradigm of what a teacher should be," said Parodi. "I have been fortunate to work with her and have learned as much from her as I have ever learned from another colleague, despite the fact that there are many years between us, both in life and in teaching experience. She is the kind of person and teacher who makes you think and rethink your approach to your own teaching. The most amazing thing about her is that, despite all these incredible qualities, Maggie remains so incredibly humble about herself. I cannot think of a better person who would fit the LifeChanger of the Year category."