Student Nomination Story

I knew Mr. Murphy was an amazing teacher when my oldest son had him, but I didn’t know how amazing he was until I saw him in action through online learning. My oldest son struggled through first grade and needed an intervention. However, after having Mr. Murphy for second grade, I noticed it was a true turning point for him. He made learning fun for the kids! I saw my son excel so much in that one year. My son is now a sixth grader and in honors classes. Mr. Murphy is still remains his favorite teacher. Today, my third son has him. Because I have 5 boys, I have experienced many awesome teachers over the years and never have I witnessed such a kind, caring, and dedicated teacher like Mr. Murphy. I have tried to thank him many times and he insists that his colleagues are just as dedicated as he is. He's very stoic. When online learning began, I couldn't imagine what it was like teaching a handful of 7 year olds how to navigate chromebooks! He has an endless amount of patience and made sure every kid was taken care of. He did not take advantage of this time to slack off and treat online learning like a vacation. He keeps the kids engaged and learning for the duration of a regular school day. My son has excelled in his class even with the circumstances just like my older son! He notices when someone is struggling and works with them one on one after normal Zoom hours to help navigate their thought process and tutor them individually. I am able to listen in on my boys' Zoom classes and I am constantly blown away. Around Thanksgiving, he had sent home pilgrim hats. I look at Mr. Murphy, via Zoom, and he was dressed up with them with a feather and head band! The kids absolutely loved it! I will push for my next two boys to have him as well. My boys have all had some amazing teachers but Mr. Murphy really stands out. I can't express enough how much he is worth recognizing. I have never felt the need to nominate a teacher for anything before him. These are scary times for our kids and we need more teachers like him.

Holden Archer

To see more exceptional teacher nominees, visit The Honor Roll.