JoAnn Donadio
"Oh, she's little, but she's wise and a terror for her size" reads the prophetic quote for JoAnn Donadio in her high school yearbook. Small, but oh my; she brings zest, energy, and enthusiasm to everything she does.
A life-long Branford resident, JoAnn attended both elementary and secondary school here, graduating as valedictorian of the Branford High School class of 1949. Graduating from New Haven State Teachers College in 1953 with a double major in physical education and elementary education, she was offered a physical education position at Branford Junior High School but held out for a sixth-grade position in a school to be announced. It turned out to be at the Laurel Street School where both she and Mary Tisko were assigned to teach sixth grade in the basement. With Mary as teaching principal, the two began what may well have been the first team teaching experiment in town. Two years later, JoAnn was sent to the New Indian Neck School, where she and Arthur Kojabash both taught sixth grade in improvised classrooms in the cafeteria. In addition, the pair supervised most of the recess duties - much to the relief and delight of the other teachers.
After only one year, JoAnn declined the position of sixth grade head teacher; instead accepting a seventh grade math and science position at the junior high school. With science as her primary assignment through most of her junior high tenure, JoAnn broadened her knowledge and received her master's degree in 1959. During the time when the junior high experimented with tracking, most of JoAnn's classes were in the upper ability groups. In addition, she was seventh-grade advisor, organizing field trips and dances, and for one year served as accompanist for the junior high boys' chorus initiated by Augustino Rosselli. Simultaneously, JoAnn supervised four student teachers, three of whom are still teaching, and took additional science courses to stay abreast of this ever-changing field. She cites as one of the highlights of those junior high school years revamping the science curriculum: The emphasis shifted from the standard teacher lecture format to a hands-on approach that actively involves students in their learning through experiments, readings, and the use of inductive and deductive reasoning.
During the planning stages of the Intermediate School, JoAnn was the teacher representative who met with the architect, scientific suppliers, and furniture company - with input from other teachers- to help design the new science department for use in an open-space environment. The opening of the Intermediate School in 1972 brought new challenges in adjusting to the open space environment and to teaching as the only woman on a four-teacher team.
Throughout her teaching career, JoAnn traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, at the same time indulging her passion for photography as she documented her travels. She also served two years on the religious education committee of St. Mary Parish Council and developed a service that provided books, pamphlets, and religious articles for adults and children in the parish.
In 1977 with the prospect of a gifted and talented program awaiting approval and a teacher yet to be named, JoAnn interviewed for the position. Thus began an eleven-year tenure as teacher of the M.O.R.E. program, which involved students in problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and deductive and inductive reasoning. Students' experiences were broadened by overnight field trips to Boston, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.; and many of the M.O.R.E. projects were videotaped and aired on Town Access TV. JoAnn's retirement in 1989 brought to a close her thirty-six consecutive years in the Branford school system, and she was honored for the second time with the Intermediate School PTA's Faculty Excellence Award.
A life-long Branford resident, JoAnn attended both elementary and secondary school here, graduating as valedictorian of the Branford High School class of 1949. Graduating from New Haven State Teachers College in 1953 with a double major in physical education and elementary education, she was offered a physical education position at Branford Junior High School but held out for a sixth-grade position in a school to be announced. It turned out to be at the Laurel Street School where both she and Mary Tisko were assigned to teach sixth grade in the basement. With Mary as teaching principal, the two began what may well have been the first team teaching experiment in town. Two years later, JoAnn was sent to the New Indian Neck School, where she and Arthur Kojabash both taught sixth grade in improvised classrooms in the cafeteria. In addition, the pair supervised most of the recess duties - much to the relief and delight of the other teachers.
After only one year, JoAnn declined the position of sixth grade head teacher; instead accepting a seventh grade math and science position at the junior high school. With science as her primary assignment through most of her junior high tenure, JoAnn broadened her knowledge and received her master's degree in 1959. During the time when the junior high experimented with tracking, most of JoAnn's classes were in the upper ability groups. In addition, she was seventh-grade advisor, organizing field trips and dances, and for one year served as accompanist for the junior high boys' chorus initiated by Augustino Rosselli. Simultaneously, JoAnn supervised four student teachers, three of whom are still teaching, and took additional science courses to stay abreast of this ever-changing field. She cites as one of the highlights of those junior high school years revamping the science curriculum: The emphasis shifted from the standard teacher lecture format to a hands-on approach that actively involves students in their learning through experiments, readings, and the use of inductive and deductive reasoning.
During the planning stages of the Intermediate School, JoAnn was the teacher representative who met with the architect, scientific suppliers, and furniture company - with input from other teachers- to help design the new science department for use in an open-space environment. The opening of the Intermediate School in 1972 brought new challenges in adjusting to the open space environment and to teaching as the only woman on a four-teacher team.
Throughout her teaching career, JoAnn traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, at the same time indulging her passion for photography as she documented her travels. She also served two years on the religious education committee of St. Mary Parish Council and developed a service that provided books, pamphlets, and religious articles for adults and children in the parish.
In 1977 with the prospect of a gifted and talented program awaiting approval and a teacher yet to be named, JoAnn interviewed for the position. Thus began an eleven-year tenure as teacher of the M.O.R.E. program, which involved students in problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and deductive and inductive reasoning. Students' experiences were broadened by overnight field trips to Boston, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.; and many of the M.O.R.E. projects were videotaped and aired on Town Access TV. JoAnn's retirement in 1989 brought to a close her thirty-six consecutive years in the Branford school system, and she was honored for the second time with the Intermediate School PTA's Faculty Excellence Award.