This Presidential Award is not just a recognition of one educator, but a reflection of what happens when a community supports learners and pairs them with a passionate teacher. Our community consists of dedicated families, committed special educators, trained paraprofessionals, knowledgeable colleagues, trusting administration, and a staff full of caring adults that welcome and get to know each student. Furthermore, this award honors my commitment to teaching toward a sustainable future for all.

Heather Morley Hinesburg, VT | 7-12, Science, 2021

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Heather Morley has been a teacher for more than 19 years and has spent 12 years at Champlain Valley Union High School, where she currently teaches 10th-12th grade students in Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science, Science of Climate Change, Integrated Biology, and Field & Forest. She previously taught at Staples High School for seven years and Mt. Mansfield Union High School for her first year as a teacher. In addition to teaching high school science, Heather is also a lecturer at The University of Vermont teaching Alternative Energy in Community Development and Applied Economics. She also developed her assessment acumen as a member of the Steering and Development Panels for the update of the 2028 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science Assessment Framework. In recent years, Heather, along with a small team of colleagues and a partnership with Shelburne Farms, developed a place-based, full-day interdisciplinary course that allows students to learn about the intersection of people, agriculture, and natural communities. The power of using relevant phenomena to provide the opportunity for all students to communicate their thinking led Heather to become a national facilitator for NGSX, a professional learning pathway that supports teachers making the shift in teaching and learning advanced in NGSS. She is also a board member of the Vermont Science Teaching Association. Heather earned a B.S. in forestry and an M.Ed. from The University of Vermont. She is a certified 7-12 science educational professional.

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