[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 46 (Thursday, April 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E655-E656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATIONS TO CONNECTICUT'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR MARIANNE CAVANAUGH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BARBARA B. KENNELLY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 23, 1998

  Mrs. KENNELLY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate 
Connecticut's Teacher of the Year, Marianne Roche Cavanaugh. Mrs. 
Cavanaugh is the head teacher for mathematics, Kindergarten through 
12th grade, and teaches 4 math classes a day at the Gideon Welles 
Middle School in my home district. Since Mrs. Cavanaugh arrived in the 
Glastonbury public school system more than 20 years ago, her colleagues 
have watched in awe of her energy and ability to get students excited 
about mathematics. It has been said that her students have even groaned 
in disappointment at the end of one of ``Mrs. Cav's'' lessons.
  In 1994, Mrs. Cavanaugh organized the first Gideon Welles Marathon. 
In this academic competition, students seek sponsors who pledge as much 
as 5 cents for each math problem correctly solved in an hour. The truly 
amazing thing is that over the last four years $20,000 has been raised 
in the Glastonbury community by 1200 students. The funds have been 
returned to the community to help purchase such things as youth league 
basketball uniforms, computer software programs, and to make charitable 
contributions such as donations to the food bank, clothing certificates 
to local stores, and bicycles.
  Mrs. Cavanaugh's goal is to see a National Marathon Day during April, 
Math Awareness Month. Students across the country could strive to test 
the limits of their math skills while raising money for their 
communities. As a strong supporter of educational programs and 
initiatives throughout my career here in Congress, I stand before you 
in the hope that this day may soon be realized.
  Outside her time in the classroom, Mrs. Cavanaugh has managed to 
present mathematical workshops across the nation, develop problem 
solving math curricula, and train other

[[Page E656]]

math teachers for the Interactive Math Program. In addition to this 
Connecticut Teacher of the Year award, Mrs. Cavanaugh was a finalist 
for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science 
Teaching in 1998 and 1986, the 1998 Glastonbury Teacher of the Year, 
the Connecticut Association of School Superintendents' Middle School 
Teacher of the Year finalist in 1997, and Celebration of Excellence 
winner in 1986. As a resident of Marlborough, Connecticut, she and her 
husband Roy Cavanaugh have four children, Lindsey, Matthew, Shannon, 
and Kevin.
  Again, I would like to commend Mrs. Cavanaugh on this achievement. 
She displays the kind of dedication, determination, and enthusiasm that 
make our public school system work. With teachers of Mrs. Cavanaugh's 
caliber, this next generation of Americans will surely reach the stars.

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