Sacred Heart Alumnus Is New Britain Teacher of the Year

Franco Cartiera ’03 gives back to the city that educated him

Sacred Heart University alumnus Franco Cartiera ’03 is the 2020 Teacher of the Year for the Consolidated School District of New Britain for his work as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) teacher at Smalley Elementary School.

Cartiera received the honor after only four years at the school, though he has been working in the district for 10 years, beginning as a permanent substitute teacher.

Having graduated from New Britain High School himself, Cartiera said he loves that his job allows him to give back to the community where he grew up. “I wanted to go back and give back and work with kids,” he said.

The Teacher of the Year honor was decided through a selective process. First, each of New Britain’s 18 schools chose its own candidate. Then, those teachers wrote an essay answering specific questions about themselves and how their work affects the district and their respective schools. Following this, three teachers moved on to personal interviews, which took place this year through video conference calls.

“I thought I completely bombed the interview,” said Cartiera. “I didn’t have the confidence in myself at that point. I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just honored to be a Teacher of the Year for my school.’”

On the last day of school, the staff and teachers were preparing for a drive-by parade around the area where the students lived, marking the end of a school year disrupted by COVID-19. However, before they left, everyone was called into the auditorium for what was supposedly a change in the parade route. Instead, Superintendent of Schools Nancy Sarra and other district officials surprised Cartiera with the announcement that he was the school system’s Teacher of the Year. “I’ve got to be honest, I was tearing up a little,” Cartiera said. “I think I was just so caught off guard.”

Cartiera’s family also was there to witness his recognition. “Not knowing they were going to be there…it was awesome to see them,” he said.

Cartiera graduated from Sacred Heart as a business major before deciding to pursue a career in education. He credits SHU for helping him get to where he is today and leading him to the realization that he wanted to give back to his community.

During Cartiera’s freshman year in 1999, he joined the men’s soccer team at Sacred Heart in its inaugural year as a Division I sport. While on the team, he was named to the All-Northeast Conference second team for two consecutive years and finished with 84 career points. He is also SHU’s all-time leader at the Division I level in goals and points. 

Cartiera said that, although recognition is nice to receive, it’s passion that drives him, whether on a field or in a classroom. “For me, I don’t care about accolades. Even Teacher of the Year…recognition is great, but I didn’t play soccer for that, and I don’t teach for that reason,” Cartiera said.

New Britain’s schools are in their third year with STEAM, which takes students away from their textbooks so they can participate in more hands-on learning. Cartiera described it as a stimulating and enriching approach to teaching that also helps the children get some energy out so they are more attentive when back at their desks. It also sidesteps the traditional pass-fail system, allowing students to identify and learn from their mistakes.

“You try something; if you fail, you fix it, you tell me why, and then you make those adjustments,” Cartiera said. “If it gets worse, then go in a different direction; go the opposite way.”

Cartiera, who teaches kindergarten through fifth grade, said he is unsure what teaching will look like in the fall with COVID-19 restrictions, but he is nervous about how they will affect students. Classes could move outside until winter, he said, but that could be distracting.

He said he also worries about children falling behind because they can’t adapt to the changes. “I think about my little kindergarteners, who are learning letters and numbers at that point. They’re going to go into first grade not knowing every single letter; they’re all going to be a little bit behind,” Cartiera said.

No matter what happens in the fall, students and staff can count on their Teacher of the Year to do his best with whatever circumstances they face. “I think people understand that I work hard, and that I am passionate about what I do, and that I’m not just there to collect a paycheck,” he said.

Left: Cartiera in the last-day-of-school parade with mascot Buzzy the bee. Right: New Britain Superintendent of Schools Nancy Sarra breaks news of the award. All photos were provided by the Consolidated School District of New Britain.