Laura Vish has been called the “heart” of Runkle School by colleagues and parents. As a Speech and Language Pathologist who has worked in Brookline for 20 years, Laura’s job requires her to work closely with a large caseload of individual students who need S&L services, but she does so much more than that. Her contributions to the Runkle community include delivering executive function tools such as EmPOWER to many classrooms, creating a curriculum about life skills for RISE students, and being a mentor and collaborator to new teachers and specialists. In addition, she is a friendly face, comforting shoulder and gives warm hugs to countless students and teachers for whom she genuinely cares. We agree that Ms. Vish, in many ways, is the “heart” of Runkle for students, teachers and administrators alike, and the Brookline Education Foundation is proud to present the 2019 Caverly Award to her!

“Kind” and “generous” are words that come up repeatedly when people describe Mark VanDerzee. His kindness is demonstrated by the respect he shows his students, the empathy that he exudes and encourages them to demonstrate, and in the way in which he genuinely cares about his students. His generosity is evident in the time he devotes to his students, his colleagues, as well as in the calm support he give to everyone with whom he works. Since coming to BHS in 2001, Mark has taught Drama, Stagecraft, Sound and Lighting Design, and has served as the Performing Arts Tech Director. Ever popular with his students, Mark teaches life skills and professsionalism in addition to the course subject matter. His humility and dedication to his students and his craft are evident to all he comes in contact with. The Brookline Education Foundation is thrilled to award Mark VanDerzee with the 2019 Caverly Award.

The BEF is pleased to announce that the 2018 Caverly Award winners:

Beth Greenwood has worked as a third-grade teacher at the Lincoln School since 2005. Her enthusiasm and love of learning are contagious to students, teachers, and parents alike. She takes time to really get to know all students in her class—with their strengths and weaknesses—and to bring out the best in them. As the co-director of the Lincoln middle school play, Ms. Greenwood has been instrumental in helping shy, quiet students positively shine in their roles in these impressive productions. As a mentor to student teachers, new teachers, and veteran teachers, she brings the same deep thoughtfulness and vast knowledge and wisdom to her colleagues as she does to the students in her classroom. When faced with dilemmas and complicated issues, students and teachers alike find themselves asking, “What would Ms. Greenwood do?”

Liz Gorman began her career in Brookline as a student at Brookline High School. Now a teacher, she is an inspiration to both her students and colleagues, and exudes a sense of calm, determination, and inspiration. Ms. Gorman is a trailblazer in both the World Language Department and the Health and Fitness Department. She has truly left her mark throughout the entire high school. She was a pioneering chaperone for the China Exchange program; she revitalized the Spanish curriculum for all levels of learners; she started the rock climbing classes and literally built the climbing wall herself; and she is also a skilled yoga instructor and fierce yoga advocate. Ms. Gorman is a formal and informal mentor to many teachers, and co-created the faculty and student wellness initiative. Liz Gorman is a doer and an agent of change. Today she can add Caverly Award winner to her long list of accomplishments.

In 2017, the Brookline Education Foundation was proud to honor the following outstanding exemplars of Excellence in Teaching:

In 2016, the Brookline Education Foundation was proud to honor the following outstanding exemplars of Excellence in Teaching: