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Teacher of the Year Colleen Keough is an RSC Grad and Local Second Grade Teacher; Event Includes Networking and Professional Development for Current and Aspiring Teachers
As New York state faces a critical shortage of qualified teachers, New York State Teacher of the Year Colleen Keough has words of encouragement for anyone who has thought — even fleetingly — about entering the education profession.
“It’s important to try to pave the way for these kiddos,” she says. “If you could be a shining light in their life, how could you not do it?”
On February 6 at 6 p.m., she will share her experiences and thoughts about today’s classroom and answer audience questions during the Esteves School of Education’s Education Night in Bush Memorial on Russell Sage College’s Troy campus. Education Night will include networking for current teachers and education students, and career information for prospective undergraduate and graduate students and people considering making a career change to education.
Keough’s talk, titled “Teaching, Learning, and Thriving,” will draw on her experiences connecting with parents and caregivers; her knowledge of and commitment to trauma-sensitive practices; and her commitment to fostering a strong sense of community at Hamilton Elementary School in Schenectady, New York, where she teaches second grade.
The event is also an opportunity to learn about Positive Education, which emphasizes principles of Positive Psychology to build well-being and prevent burnout for students and educators. In 2024, Russell Sage became the first college to partner with The Center for Positive Education. All Russell Sage education students now take a course in Positive Education and the option to earn a microbadge in Positive Education is forthcoming.
Education Night is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Refreshments will be served.
During the evening, Amanda Klopott, principal of School 2 in Troy, will receive the 2025 Esteves School of Education Partnership Award for her sustained partnership with Russell Sage’s education programs.
More About New York State Teacher of the Year Colleen Keough
Colleen Keough, who earned a B.S. in Childhood Education and B.S. in Psychology at Russell Sage College, is a second-grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School in Schenectady, New York. The New York State Board of Regents named her the 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year in fall 2024. Read about Keough’s State Teacher of the Year award in the announcement from the New York State Education Department and learn how Russell Sage prepared her to make a difference in her classroom and community in this Sage.edu profile of Keough from spring 2024, shortly after she received the Robert Ludwig Schenectady School District Teacher of the Year award.