Melissa Labossiere

Affiliation

AFT/Pawtucket School Department

Biography

Melissa Labossiere spent 20 years teaching Middle School Spanish at Jenks Jr. High School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and for the past 10 years she has been working for the Pawtucket School Department as the Talent Development Coordinator. As the Talent Development Coordinator, Melissa supports all of the new hires in the district’s mentor program, she also supports all educators in the district through professional development. Additionally, she serves as the i3 coordinator for the district and works with the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers (RIFT) to support Teacher Evaluation. Melissa has been trained through AFT/RIFT to facilitate numerous professional development opportunities including, Managing Behavior in School Communities, Strategies for Student Success, English Language Learners 101 and The Union Solution to Student Trauma. She is an AFT National Trainer for 10 Trauma Informed Strategies to Help Students Heal and ELL 101. Melissa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Bilingual Bicultural Studies & Spanish, and a Master’s degree in English as a Second Language. Melissa was Pawtucket’s 2015 Teacher of the Year and a 2016 Finalist for Rhode Island Teacher of the Year.