Susan Drinker, kindergarten teacher at Main Street School in Exeter, makes parents partners in their children's education. She makes home visits at the beginning of each school year, promoting literacy by bringing each family a book and a related stuffed toy. She initiated the 100 Book Club, a program that encourages parents to read 100 books aloud to their children during the school year. She also plays a customized reading game based on each child's specific interests, and then goes through the game with parents, showing them how to use it at home. Mrs. Drinker has been instrumental in rewriting and fine-tuning the kindergarten curriculum so that it remains developmentally appropriate and relevant to the school's children. In addition, she performs pre- and post-assessments to ensure that all children master basic literacy skills by the time they finish kindergarten.
1975 University of Vermont, B.S.
