On Dec. 4, 2024, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced in a press release that Hopkinton High School’s very own Samantha Breen was a semi-finalist for the accolade of Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, 2024.
Breen has taught sophomore English at Hopkinton High School since 2017. A beloved member of the community, she also advises a monthly book club, HHS’s Habitat for Humanity club, and she coaches field hockey.
When referring to being nominated for Teacher of the Year, Breen stated, “It was totally unexpected.” She was nominated for Teacher of The Year by a former student. The vetting process involved, among other things, observing one of her classes, obtaining references from other colleagues, and more.
“Sam never gives up on kids, and she wouldn’t let kids give up on themselves,” says Sarah Ellam, HHS’s English Department Chair. “Sam has an innate talent for teaching; her very being represents both the art and science of teaching: she has a passion for the subject of English, a vast knowledge of the craft of teaching, and she brings out the best in the students, especially those who may not know they have those skills inside themselves.”
Breen inspires her students to read using her classroom library, which she organizes by color, and she also documents her own reading on her Instagram account, @sambreenreads. Each month, she highlights one or two relevant books in her classroom. “There’s a book out there that everyone can like,” Breen says. “If you have the ability to appreciate a film or TV show, you can appreciate a book.”
Breen, a Milford native, moved back to Massachusetts from Thailand to teach at HHS. Not only was she intrigued by Hopkinton’s diversity, but tenth-grade English was what she wanted to teach. She “just loves tenth graders.”
She is currently pursuing her school administrator’s license. She adds, “I love teaching, and I love being in the classroom. As an administrator, I know I would miss those classroom interactions, but high school administrators have so much power to affect positive change.”
Breen would like to see one of her colleagues earn Teacher of the Year in 2025.
HopNews expresses its gratitude to Samantha Breen and the entire faculty at HHS for their outstanding dedication to teaching students. We appreciate having such devoted educators in our community.
