Hartford Teacher Earns Major National Honor

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford special education teacher whose students made significant literacy gains has been named Specialized Education Services Inc.’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, the education provider announced this week.

Antonela Qyra, a high school special education teacher at High Road School of Hartford, received the national recognition from SESI, a division of FullBloom that provides specialized education services for students requiring additional academic and behavioral support.

SESI officials said Qyra was selected from educators across more than 100 schools and programs nationwide.

According to the organization, Qyra helped create a campus-wide literacy intervention initiative for students while also developing culturally responsive classroom instruction designed to engage students who struggled in traditional educational settings.

SESI said pre- and post-assessment data showed 80% of Qyra’s students improved reading fluency by at least one grade level, while English language learners demonstrated a 30% increase in vocabulary acquisition.

“I believe that all students possess the potential to succeed when teaching is truly student-centered, rooted in high expectations and guided by culturally responsive, evidence-based practices,” Qyra said.

The announcement was made earlier this month by FullBloom Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Cohen and SESI President Dawn Thomas.

Thomas said the annual awards program recognizes educators demonstrating “rigor and compassion in the classroom” while helping students achieve success.

SESI also named Raynard Gillispie, a behavior support specialist and basketball coach at Excel Academy of Roseland in Chicago, Ill., as its 2026 Staff of the Year.

The SESI Teacher and Staff of the Year program honors teachers, social workers, behavioral specialists, and other staff members for excellence in instruction, leadership, and student support.