Dawn Dickau, a paraeducator at Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School in Southington, has been named Connecticut’s 2024 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year.
Dickau was inspired by how special education benefited her son and her family, according to the governor’s office.
In 2015, she began supporting students on the autism spectrum at South End Elementary School, then went to John F. Kennedy Middle School in August 2018, then to William H. Hatton Elementary School in November 2019, where she began assisting a student with a visual impairment. She continues to assist the student to this day.
To help the student transition to Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School, Dickau taught herself Braille and initiated a Braille Day in the classroom to educate other students, the governor’s office said.
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“Dawn does an exceptional job of knowing when to step in and provide support for her student and when to challenge him to be self-sufficient. Thanks to all of Dawn’s efforts, her student had a flawless transition from elementary to middle school,” Chris Palmieri, principal of DePaolo Middle School, said in a statement.
Dickau will be recognized in November at the Connecticut Teacher of the Year ceremony, along with the 2024 Connecticut Teacher of the Year and district Teachers of the Year.
“Ms. Dickau’s recognition as Connecticut’s 2024 Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year is richly deserved. Her tireless commitment and invaluable contributions to DePaolo Middle School are an inspiration to us all. Congratulations to Ms. Dickau and to all paraeducators for their exceptional work in nurturing and guiding their students towards a brighter future,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement.
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About the Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year Program
The Anne Marie Murphy Paraeducator of the Year Program recognizes one paraeducator who has demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication in their role and earns the respect and admiration of students, teachers, administrators, coworkers, and parents.
In March 2013, the State Department of Education and the School Paraprofessional Advisory Council renamed the Connecticut Paraeducator of the Year Award in honor of Anne Marie Murphy, a special education paraprofessional who lost her life in the Dec. 14, 2012, tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
