2025 New Milford Teacher of the Year Colleen Peterson

Often, great teachers possess not only the ability to successfully transmit ideas and information, but also the ability to observe and uncover a student’s true strengths. Recent New Milford Teacher of the Year Colleen Peterson, a Western Connecticut State University 2002 Bachelor of Science in Justice and Law Administration graduate, 2005 Teaching Certificate earner and 2014 Master of Science in Education alumna, has these powers of observation and ended up where she is today thanks, in part, to the powers of observation of one of her WestConn professors.

Peterson, who lived in Stratford and moved to New Fairfield at age 16, attended Lauralton Hall, a private high school in Milford. “Lauralton really pushed college,” Peterson said. “I was going to be the first generation in my family to go to college and I really didn’t know what I wanted to study. I applied early decision to the University of Vermont, but they offered no financial aid, so I applied to WestConn and was accepted and able to live on campus.”

Unsure of her path, Peterson said she “bounced around a lot” in different subject areas, but was frequently drawn to criminology classes, where she met Professor of Justice and Law Administration Dr. Casey Jordan.

Colleen Peterson in her New Milford High School Classroom.

“Colleen was one of those students who distinguished herself early as not just a determined student, but a dedicated learner,” Jordan said. “She was one of the very first majors in our Criminology track, and she established the Criminology Club and recruited a dozen students in our first meeting. Together, we not only went to academic conferences, participated in Clubs Carnival and sponsored many guest speakers, but under Colleen’s leadership we did a lot for the community: she spearheaded holiday baskets for the families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks in New York City, and collected food for Thanksgiving baskets for the families of the victims of a serial killer in Poughkeepsie.”

Jordan continued, “Colleen was an excellent student and born leader, but she was also one of the hardest working humans I’ve ever met. She filled every moment of every day with purpose:  when she wasn’t in class, studying, writing papers, organizing club activities, she was working, and working hard. She put herself through college with waitressing, babysitting, teaching swimming lessons, working at an antiques gallery — anything necessary to meet a challenge.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Justice and Law Administration, Peterson enrolled in a master’s program in Criminology at another CSCU institution, but did not enjoy it and dropped out. She applied for jobs at local police departments and at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, but “nothing spoke to me,” she said.

(l-r): Colleen Peterson, White collar crime expert Jay Albanese, WestConn student Sue Laiuppa, Mercyhurst College Professor Dr. Peter Benekos, WestConn Professor of Justice and Law Administration Dr. Casey Jordan, and criminology textbook author Frank Hagan at a 2001 Criminology Conference in Atlanta that WestConn’s Criminology Club attended.

Fortunately for her, Peterson’s connection to her professor remained, and during an antiques shopping trip together, Peterson asked Jordan her thoughts on what she should do with her degree. “It turns out, Casey had overheard me helping other students with a math problem. She suggested I was great at it and should consider becoming a math teacher. After my initial shock, I decided that Casey knew me well and that I trusted her.”

Peterson enrolled in WestConn’s Math Teacher Certification program in 2003. “I had to take almost 30 math credits because I only had my gen-ed math requirements from my first time through,” she said. “I took a 19-credit semester in spring 2004 (16 of those credits were math), and a 23-credit semester in fall 2004, and completed a total of 68 in two years to complete the requirements for the certification-only program” she said. “I got my math certification in 2005, did my student teaching at New Milford High School, and they hired me before I even finished my student teaching.”

With a 20-year career as a math teacher at New Milford High School, Peterson said she is honored by the Teacher of the Year recognition, but what is most important to her is the impact she has had on her students. “Hearing from former students who were interviewed by the newspaper about my award was the best Christmas present for me,” she said.

Peterson shared her favorite memory, which took place when she was a second-year teacher. “I overheard a student helping another student, and like Casey had done with me, I told her she would be a great math teacher. The student had previously had unpleasant experiences with math, and as a result said she ‘hated’ math and wanted to be a Spanish teacher. I kept working on her, and she finally said the only way she’d be a math teacher was if she could do her student teaching with me. So, I got certified to take student teachers, my student went to WestConn to get her Secondary Education – Math degree, and she student-taught in my classroom. She went on to get her master’s degree and is now the department head at a middle school in Ridgefield and is in her 11^th year of teaching. She’s phenomenal and will be a Teacher of the Year herself someday.”

Peterson continued, “I love students like her who think they’re not good at math. I like being able to change their mind, and I think anyone can learn math with enough time and patience. It’s most meaningful to me when I see that something ‘clicks’ for them. I can appreciate the student struggle because I remember struggling myself.”

Colleen Peterson in her New Milford High School classroom.

What has worked for her, Peterson said, has been emulating the teaching styles of the faculty at WestConn. “The Math Department is phenomenal,” she said. “Dr. David Burns, Dr. Amanda Lubell, Dr. Chuck Rocca — they really helped me become who I am now. The classes were small, I got to know my professors, and all of them went above and beyond to individualize what I needed as a student. I was more than just a face — I was a person. They really helped support me to get to where I am today.”

And of course, Peterson’s enduring friendship with her Criminology professor, Casey Jordan, continues to impact her life.

Jordan said, “I know that she didn’t get any math skills from me during her time as a Criminology student, but I’d like to think she got her ‘tough but fair’ approach to teaching from me. It’s a reputation that any educator should be proud to have, and if you really care about your students, it is the best compliment ever!”

Being named Teacher of the Year has not changed Peterson’s desire to stay in the classroom to help everyone from the students who are struggling the most to those who take to math easily. “My claim to fame is working with a colleague at New Milford High School to start the Math Honor Society,” she said. “We started with only six students and it was up to over 100 students at one time. I’ve met a lot of great students and have taught a lot of remedial students and love changing their opinion about math.”

In addition to her duties at New Milford High School, Peterson also serves as an adjunct instructor in WestConn’s Math Department and says she loves teaching at WestConn. “I’m teaching Math 120 – Statistics, and I get to focus on content and work directly with students. What I’m really looking forward to is piloting an Early College Credit partnership between New Milford High School and WestConn that will allow New Milford students to get WestConn credit for Math 120. It’s very exciting.”

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