Sharon Dixon
Sharon Dixon was born in May of 1949, to Richard and Elsie Dixon, the eldest of four children in a family of hard-working people who valued education. She was the first member of the family to graduate from college.
After beginning her early education in Branford, Sharon then attended East Haven Schools from second grade through high school. At the University of Connecticut, she studied Child Development and Family Relations, followed by a year of study at Eastern Connecticut State College in Early Childhood Education.
Her tenure in Branford began in September of 1972, at Branford Hills School, where she taught first grade. After five years there she went to the Indian Neck School to teach the Transitional First Grade program that she had designed with elementary coordinator, Mary Margaret O’Brien. Her parents laughed about this because she was teaching in the same classroom where she had been a kindergarten student. When the transitional class was relocated to Damascus School, now Tisko School, Sharon taught kindergarten at Indian Neck.
In 1987, she returned to the Branford Hills School to teach second grade. At about this time, Branford was embarking on a new education adventure called Individually Guided Education (IGE), an ungraded program in which children from grades 1-4 were grouped in teams by ability rather than age. Her innovative approach to education and her experience in the lower elementary grades made Sharon a prime choice as a team leader. During this time, she was also involved in rewriting and updating the elementary social studies and language arts curriculum.
Upon the closing of Branford Hills School, Sharon moved to the Mary T. Murphy School, continuing in the second grade until her retirement in 2007, after thirty-five consecutive years teaching Branford children. Her leadership skills and the respect of her peers led to her being chosen by administration to act as interim teacher/administrator at Branford Hills School in 1987.
Her dedication to her students and their families extended beyond the classroom. On any given day you might see her at a sporting event, dance recital, birthday celebration, or First Communion at an area church, if a current, or former student was involved. She continues to keep in touch with many of her former students.
During her tenure in Branford, Sharon’s dedication to her colleagues was evident in her involvement in professional activities. She served as Branford Education Association (BEA) building representative, served on the negotiating team for teachers’ contracts, volunteered for BEA’s Hop, Skip, Jump for SARAH fundraisers, was involved in rewriting and updating elementary curriculum and taught remedial reading in the Summer Studies Program.
In 1980, Sharon married Richard Dixon. Their daughter, Laura, was born in 1983. They enjoyed their life in a little cottage on Branford Harbor until 2004, when their rental property was sold. Sharon was widowed in 2016, when Richard suddenly passed away. Sharon and Laura are learning to be a household to two.
Sharon is an avid reader and a lover of the beach. She is enjoying her retirement by continuing working with students as a paraprofessional.
Sharon Dixon is the consummate educator, with the best interests of the children, families and community in mind.
After beginning her early education in Branford, Sharon then attended East Haven Schools from second grade through high school. At the University of Connecticut, she studied Child Development and Family Relations, followed by a year of study at Eastern Connecticut State College in Early Childhood Education.
Her tenure in Branford began in September of 1972, at Branford Hills School, where she taught first grade. After five years there she went to the Indian Neck School to teach the Transitional First Grade program that she had designed with elementary coordinator, Mary Margaret O’Brien. Her parents laughed about this because she was teaching in the same classroom where she had been a kindergarten student. When the transitional class was relocated to Damascus School, now Tisko School, Sharon taught kindergarten at Indian Neck.
In 1987, she returned to the Branford Hills School to teach second grade. At about this time, Branford was embarking on a new education adventure called Individually Guided Education (IGE), an ungraded program in which children from grades 1-4 were grouped in teams by ability rather than age. Her innovative approach to education and her experience in the lower elementary grades made Sharon a prime choice as a team leader. During this time, she was also involved in rewriting and updating the elementary social studies and language arts curriculum.
Upon the closing of Branford Hills School, Sharon moved to the Mary T. Murphy School, continuing in the second grade until her retirement in 2007, after thirty-five consecutive years teaching Branford children. Her leadership skills and the respect of her peers led to her being chosen by administration to act as interim teacher/administrator at Branford Hills School in 1987.
Her dedication to her students and their families extended beyond the classroom. On any given day you might see her at a sporting event, dance recital, birthday celebration, or First Communion at an area church, if a current, or former student was involved. She continues to keep in touch with many of her former students.
During her tenure in Branford, Sharon’s dedication to her colleagues was evident in her involvement in professional activities. She served as Branford Education Association (BEA) building representative, served on the negotiating team for teachers’ contracts, volunteered for BEA’s Hop, Skip, Jump for SARAH fundraisers, was involved in rewriting and updating elementary curriculum and taught remedial reading in the Summer Studies Program.
In 1980, Sharon married Richard Dixon. Their daughter, Laura, was born in 1983. They enjoyed their life in a little cottage on Branford Harbor until 2004, when their rental property was sold. Sharon was widowed in 2016, when Richard suddenly passed away. Sharon and Laura are learning to be a household to two.
Sharon is an avid reader and a lover of the beach. She is enjoying her retirement by continuing working with students as a paraprofessional.
Sharon Dixon is the consummate educator, with the best interests of the children, families and community in mind.
Letters of Nomination
We are proud to recommend Sharon Dixon for induction into the 2018 Branford Education Hall of Fame.
Sharon has been an outstanding educator in Branford for 35 years. She began her career in 1972 as a first-grade teacher at Branford Hills School. While teaching first grade, she became aware of the developmental differences in her young students, and was instrumental in working with Mary Margaret O’Brien, then elementary coordinator, in developing and teaching Branford’s first transitional class, which was opened at the Indian Neck School in 1978. When the program was relocated to Damascus School (now Mary R. Tisko School), in 1983, Sharon taught Kindergarten at Indian Neck for the next 4 years. She returned to Branford Hills to teach second grade in 1987.
At about that time, Branford was embarking on a new education adventure called Individually Guided Education (IGE), an ungraded program in which children from grades 1-4 were grouped in teams by ability rather than age. Her innovative approach to education and her experience in the lower elementary grades made Sharon a prime choice as a team leader. During this time, she was also involved in rewriting and updating the elementary social studies and language arts curriculum.
Her leadership skills and the respect of her peers led to her being chosen by administration to act as interim teacher/administrator at Branford Hills School in 1987.
Her famous egg-hatching unit, which she initiated as part of her science life cycle studies, became a major bird-study unit in her teaching years at both Branford Hills, and later, at Mary T. Murphy School. Ask any child who attended either of these schools while Sharon was teaching, what they remember most about school and their answer will undoubtedly be “chicks and ducks with Mrs. Dixon”.
Sharon has an uncanny ability to recognize the strengths and needs of children, and she maintained high expectations for all. Her goal was always to have each child reach his/her potential.
Her dedication to her students and their families extended beyond the classroom. At any given day, you might see her at a sporting event, dance recital, birthday celebration, or First Communion at an area church, if a current (or former) student was involved. She continues to keep in touch with many of her former students.
Her dedication to her colleagues was evident in her involvement in professional activities. She served as BEA building representative, served on the negotiating team for teachers’ contracts, volunteered for BEA’s Hop, Skip, Jump, for SARAH fundraisers, and taught remedial reading in the Summer Studies Program.
Sharon retired from Branford Public Schools in 2007, but continues her involvement in education, currently working as a paraprofessional in East Haven, and teaching in the New Haven Public Schools summer reading program.
Sharon Dixon is the consummate educator, with the best interests of the children, families, and community in mind, and for these reasons we nominate her for induction into the 2018 Branford Education Hall of Fame.
Sharon has been an outstanding educator in Branford for 35 years. She began her career in 1972 as a first-grade teacher at Branford Hills School. While teaching first grade, she became aware of the developmental differences in her young students, and was instrumental in working with Mary Margaret O’Brien, then elementary coordinator, in developing and teaching Branford’s first transitional class, which was opened at the Indian Neck School in 1978. When the program was relocated to Damascus School (now Mary R. Tisko School), in 1983, Sharon taught Kindergarten at Indian Neck for the next 4 years. She returned to Branford Hills to teach second grade in 1987.
At about that time, Branford was embarking on a new education adventure called Individually Guided Education (IGE), an ungraded program in which children from grades 1-4 were grouped in teams by ability rather than age. Her innovative approach to education and her experience in the lower elementary grades made Sharon a prime choice as a team leader. During this time, she was also involved in rewriting and updating the elementary social studies and language arts curriculum.
Her leadership skills and the respect of her peers led to her being chosen by administration to act as interim teacher/administrator at Branford Hills School in 1987.
Her famous egg-hatching unit, which she initiated as part of her science life cycle studies, became a major bird-study unit in her teaching years at both Branford Hills, and later, at Mary T. Murphy School. Ask any child who attended either of these schools while Sharon was teaching, what they remember most about school and their answer will undoubtedly be “chicks and ducks with Mrs. Dixon”.
Sharon has an uncanny ability to recognize the strengths and needs of children, and she maintained high expectations for all. Her goal was always to have each child reach his/her potential.
Her dedication to her students and their families extended beyond the classroom. At any given day, you might see her at a sporting event, dance recital, birthday celebration, or First Communion at an area church, if a current (or former) student was involved. She continues to keep in touch with many of her former students.
Her dedication to her colleagues was evident in her involvement in professional activities. She served as BEA building representative, served on the negotiating team for teachers’ contracts, volunteered for BEA’s Hop, Skip, Jump, for SARAH fundraisers, and taught remedial reading in the Summer Studies Program.
Sharon retired from Branford Public Schools in 2007, but continues her involvement in education, currently working as a paraprofessional in East Haven, and teaching in the New Haven Public Schools summer reading program.
Sharon Dixon is the consummate educator, with the best interests of the children, families, and community in mind, and for these reasons we nominate her for induction into the 2018 Branford Education Hall of Fame.