MIDDLETOWN – Ronald McDonald House
A teacher for over 20 years, Joanne Jukins has been a second grade teacher at Commodore Macdonough Elementary School in Middletown for the past six years. She was selected for the award due to her superior teaching skills, as she gives individual care to each of her students and creates an environment where her students can excel. RMHC awarded a $500 grant to Macdonough Elementary School in her honor.
Jukins is known for incorporating technology into the learning experience and often has her students working on computers. She has been described as a learner who is routinely enrolled in graduate courses and takes advantage of professional development offerings.
Jukins is also a mentor, sharing her knowledge with colleagues and supervising college student-teachers. She is active in PTA events and rarely misses an evening school activity. RMHC acknowledges Jukins as a 2010 Local Hero, and Macdonough Elementary School Principal Jon Romeo noted that the grant money will be put to good use with Ms. Jukins’ input.
The recipients were honored by the RMHC Board of Directors at the Connecticut Governor’s Residence in Hartford and were joined by superintendents and principals from their respective districts and schools, as well as other invited guests including local McDonald’s owners and Ronald McDonald himself.
Each honoree was presented with a plaque commemorating his or her award.
There is no application or nomination process for the RMHC Local Hero Awards. Instead, the local charity works closely with partnering organizations, such as the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Education, to identify people throughout the region
