West Warwick teachers win Golden Apples

WEST WARWICK — The West Warwick School Department took home a trio of Golden Apple Awards recently in recognition of their contributions to education in the state of Rhode Island.

Bridget Beliveau, Patty Bentley and Richard Grenier all were the recipients of the NBC 10 Golden Apple Award, given in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE).

Beliveau and Bentley are music teachers at Deering Middle School, while Grenier is an English and Journalism teacher at West Warwick High Schoo. None of the teachers were expecting to receive the award.

“I thought we were in trouble,” joked Beliveau. “I looked at Patty and asked her what she did wrong.”

“I had absolutely no idea,” Grenier added.

While two of the three teach music and one teaches English, all believe in the same approach to education: let students see what they can do, enjoy their accomplishments and celebrate achievements with them.

One of the aspects of teaching music that both women said they enjoy most is the passion for their students to have a feeling of success, and knowing they can take what they learn in band and continue to pursue it if they choose, applying it to other areas of their life as well.

“We warm up the kids, then they practice their skills and anytime they perform, it’s a test,” said Bentley, who has been teaching music for 15 years.

“There are kids who come in early and stay late,” added Beliveau, who has been teaching the subject for 20 years. “They get to do different things and they mentor each other.”

Both agreed that what makes their efforts successful is the sense of empowerment they offer each student.

“They become independent musicians and we want them to be able to take what we teach each day, with them,” Beliveau said. “We want to create opportunities.”

Grenier, an educator for 31 years, teaches seniors and knows after years of teaching that seniors do not want to be lectured to. Rather, they thrive on collaboration.

One lesson Grenier said he does every year is have the students read the literary classic, Frankenstein. “Then I have them do a project where the monster is bringing a law suit against his creator .They all have the assignment, regardless of class level, and learn each piece of it.”

“I split them up into teams: team creature, team Victor and team judge and jury. Each team is responsible for making their own cases,” he said. “This and other similar assignments give them confidence. I teach in a very relaxed atmosphere. From the work they do and what they’re able to accomplish, it inspires me and I get those moments that give me goosebumps.”

Deering Middle School Principal Jeffrey Guiot said from his perspective, it’s about consistency, practice, positive reinforcement and accountability.

“Accountability translates to responsibility and not just in day-to-day performance, but community performance,” he said.

West Warwick High School Principal Phil Solomon said there are many teachers who deserve such a recognition in this way. He noted that he was happy to learn it was Grenier who would be a recipient.

“I can have a student unmotivated and when he gets to Mr. Grenier’s class, he finds what makes the student tick and I see that time and time again,” Solomon said. “He does what he has to do to help that student, whether it’s get there early or stay late.”

“This is a really great example of the great work the teachers are doing in West Warwick,” said West Warwick School Superintendent Karen Tarasevich. “It’s exciting when one teacher receives the award, but to see them receive it in West Warwick, I could not be prouder.”