MANCHESTER – This month, Southside French teacher Shereen Badawy was honored in Washington, D.C., as a trailblazer as a Registered Teacher Apprentice.
Badawy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of National Apprenticeship Week. Badawy was one of the District’s first staff members to complete the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program, which is available to District staff in partnership between the National Collaborative for Digital Equity and the Department of Labor.
"I would like to express my gratitude for the amazing opportunity to represent the Manchester School District at the National Apprenticeship Week Kick-Off event in Washington, D.C.,” Badawy said. “From my personal experience, I discovered that anyone can improve their lives, develop their abilities, and transform their experiences into a productive career framework by enrolling in one of these programs that provides invaluable practical experience for learning new skills.”
Badawy was chosen for the program because of her unique pathway to teaching. She emigrated from Egypt in 2015, first working as a substitute teacher in New Jersey. In 2020, she moved to New Hampshire and began working as a paraprofessional at Southside. After completing the apprenticeship program, she became the school’s full-time French teacher. Of the 31 District staff members currently in the apprenticeship program, 11 of them, like Badawy, are new Americans.
"I am so proud of Shereen and what she has achieved," said Southside Principal Kelly Espinola. "Shereen has worked very hard for this moment and continues to grow and develop professionally to best support our students."
The apprenticeship program offers an affordable pathway for paraprofessionals in Manchester School District to earn a teaching certification while gaining experience in the classroom. While the program is a benefit for staff, it also has direct benefits for the district. First, it can serve as an additional recruiting tool for filling paraprofessional positions, and second, it allows the District to fill teaching positions from within.