Newport kindergarten teacher receives $25K Milken award

NEWPORT – Dale Blaess, a full-day kindergarten teacher at the William J. Underwood School in Newport, was awarded a $25,000 Milken Educator Awards in a surprise ceremony Tuesday.

“Dale Blaess is an innovator who uses technology extensively to expand the world of her classroom,” said Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist at the ceremony also attended by Gov. Donald L. Carcieri. Gist hailed Blaess’ “buddy-mentorship” program linking kindergarteners with 4th-graders.

Blaess has taught at Underwood for the past two years as the lead teacher for mathematics, science and literacy. She also developed a “pacing guide” for the Newport School District, where she has been an early-childhood teacher for eight years.

Blaess holds a bachelor’s degree in early-childhood education from Columbus State University in Georgia and a master’s degree in literacy from Roger Williams University.

The $25,000 award is given to the educators with no strings attached; educators can choose how to spend the money as they please, said a spokesperson at the Milken Family Foundation, noting that previous recipients have spent it on a range of activities including student loans, college funds, and even fertility treatments.

This fall, 55 educators around the U.S. will receive a Milken Family Foundation award; Rhode Island has seen 69 Milken award winners since the program first began in the state in 1990.

For a list of previous Milken Educator Award winners in Rhode Island, click here.