School Officials Honor Teacher & Support Professional of the Year

North Kingstown's Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year got to have their cake and eat it too at last night's reception.

School officials honored Toni-Annette Silveira (2012 North Kingstown Teacher of the Year) and Liz Tully (2012 North Kingstown Support Professional of the Year) with a special ceremony Tuesday night before the School Committee's meeting. Friends, family, colleagues, School Committee members, school administration and others gathered for the reception – complete with plaques, punch, flowers and (of course) cake.

Silveira has been teaching music at North Kingstown High School for 17 years, leading the school's award-winning symphonic and jazz band. Both programs have consisently produced All-State and Southern New England Honors Band recipients. Additionally, she conducts for the All-State Jazz program. 

NKHS Principal Thomas Kenworthy praised Silveira, saying, "We have many great teachers, but Ms. Silveira would certainly be on the top of that list."

A NKHS graduate, Silveira lives in town with her husband (who also teaches at NKHS) and children – who attend Forest Park Elementary School.

Tully has worked for the North Kingstown School Department for 25 years. For the past 14 years, she has worked at SMH-Quidnessett Elementary School as its front office clerk. 

"She is the backbone of our school and our students and parents could not do it without her," said SMH-Quidnessett Principal Louise Denette. "There's it not one aspect of the school that she has not influenced."

In addition to her duties in the front office, Tully helps the school's PTO, puts together the school's yearbook and helps organize its spelling and geography bees. She is also instrumental in the school's annual plays, making costumes for the student actors.