Janet Maguire

Janet Maguire, 2005

Janet Maguire, Alternative Program Coordinator at Ottoson Middle School in Arlington, has been an educator with the Arlington Public schools for over twenty years. She began by teaching in the regular education setting before pursuing her Masters Degree in Special Education. She entered special education through he Transitional Learning Center (TLC) program, where she taught for three years. Later she served a year as Special Education Liaison to the seventh grade-providing support in cluster classes and teaching follow-up classes in a separate area. Finally she was chosen to pilot what became Ottoson's Alternative Program.

Having recognized the need for a program not offered, Janet Maguire designed and implemented the Ottoson Middle School's Alternative Program beginning in 2000 with about ten at-risk students. Often these students come from difficult circumstances, which provide significant stresses on them in addition to the turmoil of adolescent development. A tireless advocate for these students in need, Janet has shepherded a handful of them for each of the four subsequent years. Students are taught some subjects in separate settings, and some move wholly into mainstream classes. About 35 students, who might otherwise have failed the year or been retained at year's end, succeeded in passing through the middle school with Janet's help. The Alternative Program serves children for whom there is no mandated help; these are children without Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) or 504 Plans; who so easily fall through the cracks of the educational system. Without the support of Janet's program, many of these students would be unlikely to experience success.

Janet works hard with the other teachers in the building, and with school administration, to ensure that her students are successful in school. She meets with individual teachers in the cluster, negotiating a manageable workload for her students while maintaining standards of excellence in education. She tracks the activities in each child's home situation, and alerts teachers form time to time if a child in experiencing seemingly insurmountable personal challenges. Janet does not ask that the teachers cut expectations for her students. She is always pushing them to do more and better; they not only experience success but also they can have the satisfaction of turning in their assignments at the same time as do other students. Her work with them enables them to feel part of the regular classroom, not separate from their peers.

Janet's inexhaustible energy and drive to get the most available for her kids prompted her to spearhead a homework help program in the Menotomy Manor Housing Project. Operation Success opened its doors in March of 1999. It serves middle and high school students four nights a week for two hours per night throughout the school year. With the homework center staffed by volunteers and partially funded by a local grant, Janet works tirelessly to raise money to keep the program supplied and to obtain computer equipment. Her efforts include soliciting local businesses and hosting an annual fund- raiser. She works with the Arlington Housing Agency, the Community Development Block Grant Process, the Arlington Police Department, the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, and numerous other citizens, agencies, and organizations to support the homework center.

Aside from the two or three nights she spends tutoring at the homework club and raising the funds, Janet has also been instrumental in getting kids involved in local sports and dance programs. She secures positions at a cost the family can afford, fills out the applications, obtains birth certificates when needed, and acquires any necessary equipment.

The following quotations come from some of Janet's colleagues

"She helps me, a classroom teacher, to design reasonable alternative assignments when necessary-consistent with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. With Janet's help, these at-risk students not only succeed, but they flourish. The work she does with them is nothing short of amazing."

"She quickly displayed her gifted teaching skills and unmatched patience with students having severe learning disabilities. It became abundantly clear that these students looked to Janet not only as their teacher, but also as a trusted parent figure who was willing to do anything to help them. I was gratified to see Janet make such an impact on the lives of young people. As the year ended, I felt incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to work with such a master teacher."

"Janet is they type of educator who sees a need, struggles with the bureaucracy, and through commitment and perseverance accomplishes her goals. Her life, both in and out of school, is dedicated to the overall well being of young adults, regardless of whether or not they are in her class. Janet is intelligent, caring, creative, and kid-centered. She is an outstanding educator who constantly seeks new strategies to assure success for all her students."

"Janet Maguire's work ethic and professional insight make her an ideal candidate for the Goldin Foundation's Award for Excellence in Education. She is generous when sharing her gifts of compassion and understanding."

"To say that Janet Maguire is an exceptional educator is indeed an understatement.

Janet Maguire, Ottoson Middle School, Arlington, MA 02476
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Janet Maguire, Ottoson Middle School, Arlington, MA 02476
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Janet Maguire, Ottoson Middle School, Arlington, MA 02476
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Janet Maguire, Ottoson Middle School, Arlington, MA 02476

Janet Maguire Alternative Program Coordinator Ottoson Middle School, Arlington