Saugus High instructor recognized as Exemplary

SAUGUS – Saugus High School science teacher Gail Hashem was recently honored by the School Committee for receiving the Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award from the North Shore Science Supervisors Association.Arts and Sciences Director Frank Woods said he nominated Hashem based not only on her “overall excellence” as a classroom teacher, but for her innovative approach to the biology and forensics curriculum.”She implemented brand new pre-AP biology lessons that we spent last summer learning out in Worcester and the district’s brand new TI graphing calculators that we’re up and using,” said Woods at a recent School Committee meeting.Woods said Hashem was also instrumental in setting up the high school’s new forensics class, which features students working in a mock-crime scene alongside Massachusetts State Police.”We had one of their investigators come in, and we set up the library as a crime scene and the kids working collaboratively in teams to solve the crime,” said Woods.Hashem was recognized at an awards ceremony and dinner at the Danversport Yacht Club earlier this month.”It was an honor and a surprise,” said Hashem, who has taught at Saugus High since 1997. “I was not expecting it ? I want to thank Frank for nominating me.”Hashem said the forensic class has become so popular that more than 50 students signed up for three separate sections of the class.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed congratulated Hashem and said she was doing some “amazing things in the classroom.””Keeping a lot of students engaged, that’s really tricky,” said Reed. “Bringing in the forensics part, I know that has really sparked interest in some of our high school students and I know it’s going to spread.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].