Mr. Eric Cainas for Rookie Teacher of the Year

It is with great pleasure that Irecommend Mr. Eric Cainas beour Gladiator Rookie Teacher of the Year. Open the door to room 3207 and you’ll experience the wonder of a captain at his helm, shining brightly as a beacon to students and teachers alike. As an English and Reading teacher for only four years, he has proven he is committed to affecting change in others to benefit the entire learning community, not merely the students assigned to his classes.

From the early age of seven, Mr. Cainas was determined to become an educator and many of us have witnessed his innate instructional skill; if you recall our back-to-school workshop at the Federal Reserve Bank two years ago, Mr. Cainas confidently and cleverly presented to his colleagues, a task many veteran teachers find uncomfortable. While Mrs. Valle was on maternity leave, he also coordinated professional development for the entire faculty, and, last year, he became the coordinator of our school-wide FSA and ELA Saturday tutoring sessions. Not only has he been responsible for planning and designing the lessons, copying and distributing materials, and coordinating and guiding students and teachers alike, he has also tutored at every Saturday session. His student turnout is consistently remarkable; they come eager to devour his signature Dunkin Donuts delight, but that’s just a bonus; they come eager for his lessons, even at additional tutoring sessions during lunch and after school.

I had the distinct delight of working closelywith Mr. Cainas last year as we prepared the curriculum for AICE General Paper, and throughout that time, I witnessed, first-hand, the magic of his pedagogical prowess. His expectations are high, and because he teaches by example, hisstudents evolve as learners and individuals. In fact, more than half of my juniors this year were his General Paper students last year, and their superb writing, analytical skills, and work ethic, are a testament to his dedication. I applaud him for molding such a strong group of scholars.

By differentiating instruction and incorporating technology, Mr. Cainas keeps his students on their toes, constantly pushing the boundaries of their minds. Just last week, he taught an interactive lesson on Antigone using NearPod. Both student engagement and retention were high, as evidenced by their enthusiasm and post-test scores. His students’ success is a consistent trend! Take a look at their end-of-year assessments; from Intensive Reading to AICE, all data reflect his diligence and passion. Over half of his Intensive Reading students passed the FSA reading/writing exams, and as a first year AICE teacher, 98% of his students passed both the FSA and General Paper exams; more than 55% of those achieved the highest levels of A or B. That’s phenomenal!

Because he understands the value of praise and support, he encourages his young learners. His classroom’s welcoming atmosphere follows himwhereverhe goes, for he exudes a supportive expert’s aura. He goes above and beyond the call of duty to lend a helping hand. When a group of his students who enjoy Asian culture and art requested that he sponsor their Anime Club two years ago, he gladly complied. Again, this year, at the request of more students, he decided to bring back our school’s drama program, helping students with their acting, and he intends to fully reinstate the drama course, which was removed from our school’s curriculum. He doesn’t know this, but one of his club members recently expressed to me her admiration of Mr. Cainas, describing him as “the closest model of a father she’s ever known!”

Anace in all respects, Mr. EricCainas is the ideal candidate to represent not only our school, but our district, as Rookie Teacher of the Year, for he embodies efficiency and excellence in education!