Special-education teacher named R.I. Teacher of the Year

NIKOS Giannopoulos, a special-education teacher and coordinator at the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts, was named the 2017 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Thursday. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
NIKOS Giannopoulos, a special-education teacher and coordinator at the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts, was named the 2017 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Thursday. / COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

WOONSOCKET – Nikos Giannopoulos, a special-education teacher and coordinator at the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts, was named the 2017 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year in a surprise ceremony Thursday.

Giannopoulos – also known as Mr. G – has taught at Beacon for the past six years.
He co-teaches classes in algebra, chemistry and filmmaking, and creates transition plans and evaluations for the students with special learning needs. He also is the sponsor and coordinator of the Gay Straight Alliance.

“We know that the students at Beacon love Mr. G, and although he has won a big award today, his greatest awards are his students,” Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said in a statement. “His commitment to all students, and in particular to those who have special learning needs, and his work with the Beacon Gay Straight Alliance show me his strong commitment to diversity and to ensuring that everyone at Beacon is treated with respect. We’ll all be rooting for Mr. G as he becomes our candidate for National Teacher of the Year.”

The National Teacher of the Year will be announced in April 2017.

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In his Teacher of the Year application, Giannopoulos wrote: “The reason I remain a teacher today is that nothing I have ever done makes me feel as good as teaching does … My greatest contributions and accomplishments as an educator are not awards or accolades. They are the students and artists I have nurtured over the past six years at Beacon Charter.”

One colleague, in support of the teacher of the year application, wrote, “Nikos is as humble as he is effective, and, though he would never say it, he is without doubt the Beacon teacher who has had the most significant impact on students’ lives.”

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