Robyn Newton, a physical education teacher at Vergennes Union Elementary School, was recently named Vermont’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. The Agency of Education said she was chosen for her ability to make physical education joyful and instructional, while fostering the skills and confidence needed for healthy development and lifelong fitness.
Newton's selection highlights the importance of giving students breaks to be physically active, or “brain breaks,” which allow them to synthesize what they have learned and return to the classroom refreshed. As Vermont schools recover from the pandemic, high-quality physical education, unstructured play and “brain breaks” are critical to student success and well-being, the education agency said.
Host Connor Cyrus talked with Newton about her 27 years of teaching, what inspires her and what she hopes to accomplish as she travels around the state meeting with other teachers in the coming year.
Broadcast live at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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