Westwood Educators Commended by Parents, Teachers

Two educators at the nursery school level in Westwood who were recognized by the Westwood Educational Foundation last month recently received some praise from local parents.  

Mal Tennihan, Director of the St. John's Nursery School, and Kris Blue, Director of the Clapboardtree Nursery School, were honored at the end of 2011 for their contributions in educational excellence. 

Tennihan has lived in Westwood for 26 years and has two daughters. She returned to the classroom after years working in business and has served as the Director of St. John's Nursery School since 2001 after teaching at the Clapboardtree Nursery School for eight years. 

She has led St. John's through National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation. 

"Mal Tennihan fosters a strong sense of community at St. John's, with a welcoming feeling for both old and new families, active parent and family involvement and long lasting friendships," said Becky Cucco, a teacher at St. John's, in a statement this week. 

Editor's Note: Due to a reporting error, the above paragraph initially mentioned that Cucco made this comment in a statement from the Westwood Educational Foundation. The statement was made from the Clapboardtree and St. John's Nursery Schools.

For her part, Tennihan said in a statement that working at St. John's has been beyond rewarding. 

"Knowing the quality of both early education programs where my two daughters attended, I realize how fortunate I am to work with nurturing teachers who are dedicated to making a strong connection with our great families and children from Westwood and surrounding communities," Tennihan said in a statement. "I am truly honored to be recognized by the Westwood Educational Foundation, a group who is committed to supporting educational enrichmnent to my students and all families in Westwood."

Blue, meanwhile, started teaching kindergarten in Westwood in 1986 and taught for nine years at Hanlon and Martha Jones schools before going on to teach at the Clapboardtree Nursery School, which is also NAEYC accredited. She has lived in Westwood since 1994.

In 1999, she began a literacy enrichment program for students at Clapboardtree, and once a month, works with students on literacy-related activities and writes a literacy newsletter for parents. She took on the job as Director of the school three years ago. 

Among the group of parents of Clapboardtree students who commended Blue for her efforts were Sheila Matthews and Kristen Genarri.

"Clapboardtree has the experienced and nurturing teachers that make a difference in Nursery School experiences," Sheila Matthews, a mother of four, said in a statement. "They offer a loving, fun and safe academic experience. Our children were able to enjoy school, but were also prepared for the social and academic aspects of kindergarten."

Said Kristen Genarri, a mother of two, in a statement: "I can tell based on what my daughter says when she comes home each day, that the zest for learning is something that is nurtured at Clapboardtree. She calls Mrs. Blue 'The Specialist,' because Mrs. Blue works on reading and literature with them. I was thrown back by her use of the word, but found it endearing that she used it in the right context and it showed what high regard she holds for her teachers."

Editor's Note: The above information was submitted to Westwood Patch in a press release from the Clapboardtree and St. John's Nursery Schools.