PEABODY — Former Superintendent of Schools Cara Murtagh is this year’s Peabody Education Foundation George Peabody Legacy Award honoree.
Murtagh, who died unexpectedly last November at the age of 44, has been remembered for her vibrant spirit and enthusiasm, her leadership and an unparalleled love for all of Peabody’s students.
Since the Legacy Award was established in 2013, the foundation has named multiple honorees each year, usually five or six. This year, the foundation broke with tradition, choosing Murtagh as the sole honoree.
“I think it was a fitting statement given the situation that people felt so strongly about, not only her character, but her ability to motivate and move the system. She served in just about every position you could be in and created a legacy in a very short time,” said Foundation Chairman Dave Gravel. “She was taken from us too soon and is still missed by so many, so it was only fitting that we chose Cara as the only winner this year.
“Anybody who knew Cara knew she was all about the kids and education who felt strongly about her career and doing the things that she knew really mattered most in life. She had an incredible ability to take kids under her guidance and wing and made such a difference and is still making a difference.”
The George Peabody Legacy Award recognizes and honors the educators and philanthropists from within the community who work to provide a lifetime of contributions to Peabody’s educational system. It honors and recognizes educators who have gone above and beyond to make a lasting difference in the lives of their students. In the classroom they are both learners and facilitators of learning who attend to the social and emotional needs of their students making a lasting, positive impact by providing a progressive learning atmosphere meeting the needs of every individual child.
A statement posted on the Foundation’s website noted that, “in these days of global pandemic, teachers are rising to the challenge by providing an education that goes beyond just academics and that former Superintendent Cara Murtagh would have been at the forefront of this challenge.”
The statement went on to state that, “Cara’s work ethic was unexcelled, and she lived the goal of ‘Every Student, Every Day!’ Cara loved being superintendent because she could make a difference in the lives of so many. While Cara’s untimely passing took her away from us too soon, her dedication and commitment to education will remain with us forever.”
Murtagh started her career as a classroom teacher at St. John the Baptist School in Peabody. Her public school service began at the Carroll Elementary School in Peabody, eventually moving up the ranks to assistant principal and later as principal at the Carroll and Center Elementary schools before accepting the superintendent’s position in 2018.
Following Murtagh’s death, the foundation honored her memory with the establishment of the The Cara E. Murtagh Memorial Scholarship. The $2,500 award, which will be presented annually to a Peabody High senior, was initially funded by a Murtagh family request that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Peabody Education Foundation. Murtagh was an active member of the foundation and worked tirelessly to direct many programs and events.
Endicott College freshman, Kassidy Butt, received the inaugural Murtagh scholarship this past May. She said she had known Murtagh since elementary school.
“She was my principal at the Carroll School and I used to go to her everyday during reading time and read her a book in her office. Ms. Murtagh has always been a mentor for me and I have always been close with her, so receiving the first award in her memory is so special to me,” said Butt. “The money has nothing to do with it, even if it were just $50, it still would mean so much to me.”
The foundation will present the award to Murtagh’s mother, Carol Murtagh, Nov. 29 in a virtual ceremony at the Higgins Middle School.
For more information about the foundation, contact Gravel at 978-538-9055 Ext. 114.
