Regina R. Moher
Regina (Jean) Moher graduated from Hillhouse High School in 1927 where she distinguished herself as an outstanding student, having completed two years of Latin in one year and as an athlete as a member of the track team. She then attended New Haven Normal School (Southern CT State University) and received her permanent teaching certificate in 1929. At that time only two years of college was required for a teaching certificate but when the regulations changed Jean went back to school and received her B.S. from SCSU in 1964.
Jean began teaching seventy-six years ago in 1930 in Washington, Connecticut, and then transferred to Bethlehem, Connecticut, where she taught fifth and sixth grade until 1939. Jean has always risen to a leadership positions in everything she has done and in 1937, she served as head of the Teacher's Association in Litchfield County.
In many towns in Connecticut in the 1930's, female teachers were not allowed to marry and when that rule was relaxed many towns still enforced the rule that you could not teach if you had children. Jean married that late William J. Moher in 1939, which at that time meant her teaching career was over, and over the years they had four children Linda, William Jr., Patricia and James.
After seventeen years away from teaching she returned as a substitute teacher in Hamden in 1956 and a now enlightened Branford Board of Education hired Jean in October of 1957 to teach 7th grade history. The next year Jean transferred to Indian Neck School where she taught for ten years, followed by a year at Pine Orchard, then two years at New Short Beach concluding her career at the Intermediate School the first six years it was open. It was the years at Short Beach School that Jean made her most lasting impact on the Branford School System. This was the pilot program for the Intermediate School. Walls were taken down and this was the first open space classroom in Branford, but most importantly, the individualized instruction and team teaching concepts, which are still used today, were nurtured and developed in 1969- 1971 by the four teachers (Jean Moher, Alice Batrow, Angela Ewer and John O'Connor) under the guidance of principal, Fran Walsh and mothering of secretary, Ann Annunziata. All are now members of the Branford Education Hall of Fame.
During this time Jean was the head of committee's that wrote two books on modern math and was an instrumental member of the committee that developed the math program for the Branford Intermediate School. Jean is a charter member of Delta Kappa Gamma and has served as its president. She also has been president of the Branford Retired Teachers Organization.
Jean retired in 1978 and today spends her winters in Florida and her summers in her home on Long Island Sound in Branford. Her loving family continues to grow and today Jean enjoys eighteen grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. She is still very active and can be seen driving around town, taking friends to lunch and the hairdresser and recalls details of all her educational experiences with pride and exuberance. Jean has left her positive impact on the Branford educational system as a great teacher and innovator.
Jean began teaching seventy-six years ago in 1930 in Washington, Connecticut, and then transferred to Bethlehem, Connecticut, where she taught fifth and sixth grade until 1939. Jean has always risen to a leadership positions in everything she has done and in 1937, she served as head of the Teacher's Association in Litchfield County.
In many towns in Connecticut in the 1930's, female teachers were not allowed to marry and when that rule was relaxed many towns still enforced the rule that you could not teach if you had children. Jean married that late William J. Moher in 1939, which at that time meant her teaching career was over, and over the years they had four children Linda, William Jr., Patricia and James.
After seventeen years away from teaching she returned as a substitute teacher in Hamden in 1956 and a now enlightened Branford Board of Education hired Jean in October of 1957 to teach 7th grade history. The next year Jean transferred to Indian Neck School where she taught for ten years, followed by a year at Pine Orchard, then two years at New Short Beach concluding her career at the Intermediate School the first six years it was open. It was the years at Short Beach School that Jean made her most lasting impact on the Branford School System. This was the pilot program for the Intermediate School. Walls were taken down and this was the first open space classroom in Branford, but most importantly, the individualized instruction and team teaching concepts, which are still used today, were nurtured and developed in 1969- 1971 by the four teachers (Jean Moher, Alice Batrow, Angela Ewer and John O'Connor) under the guidance of principal, Fran Walsh and mothering of secretary, Ann Annunziata. All are now members of the Branford Education Hall of Fame.
During this time Jean was the head of committee's that wrote two books on modern math and was an instrumental member of the committee that developed the math program for the Branford Intermediate School. Jean is a charter member of Delta Kappa Gamma and has served as its president. She also has been president of the Branford Retired Teachers Organization.
Jean retired in 1978 and today spends her winters in Florida and her summers in her home on Long Island Sound in Branford. Her loving family continues to grow and today Jean enjoys eighteen grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. She is still very active and can be seen driving around town, taking friends to lunch and the hairdresser and recalls details of all her educational experiences with pride and exuberance. Jean has left her positive impact on the Branford educational system as a great teacher and innovator.