Our Golden Apple Award winner is a teacher at the Mary Cariola Children's Center. Maureen Deane is being honored for giving children with disabilities confidence and their parents peace of mind.

Those who know her well, say Maureen Deane has a gift. Education Supervisor Keri Neathawk says "She has a knack for finding exactly what makes them tick and figuring out how to get to that each day and make their days good and productive."
Maureen has used her "gift" well with 8 year old Faith Chadderdon. Faith has a medical condition that causes her to have seizures and developmental delays. Her mother Linda says Maureen understands Faith more than any teacher she's ever had. "Overall we have a very happy little girl who jumps up in the morning and wants to come to school. Maureen gets her. That's the word that I say. She gets her. And she gets all the children."

Linda Chadderdon says Maureen has done great things for her daughter and for her too. "Destressed me completely. I can focus on Faith's medical issues instead of also having to focus on education. It's given me peace of mind."

Faith's family asked us to surprise Maureen. Her service dog Sam came along to help.

Maureen says the secret to teaching kids with special needs is to simply follow their lead. "For a girl like Faith she gives you a lot to go on. It's very subtle cues. But she gives you a lot of love and a lot of eye contact and things like that just lead you in the right direction on how to work with her. You know as a teacher you spend a lot of time thinking about working with the kids and what you're going to do. And so to be recognized in this way from a family is so spectacular. Thank you."

Maureen Deane is a News 8 Golden Apple Award Winner. You can read the letter the Chadderdon family wrote nominating her below.



Dear Channel 8,

   When my daughter returned to MCCC after being in a more inclusive setting for a year, she had regressed significantly. My only hope was that she might regain the skills she'd lost.
 Placed in Maureen's classroom where the focus is ALWAYS on the child's needs, Faith has regained her skills and has mastered more! Maureen studies each child's uniqueness and works diligently with staff to address each child individually. She praises students achievements and seeks to find better ways for them to succeed.
  When learning is already a challenge, a teacher like Maureen Deane is who want steering the academic drive for your child!
  Every child is important to her! Instead of seeing how their disabilities keep them from progressing, Maureen takes their abilities and moves them forward to achievement. She is everything a parent could want in a teacher and she is as special as the children she teaches!

Sincerely,
The Chadderdon Family