Westford Public Schools teacher recognized for commitment to finding and nurturing a love of learning in every student
AUSTIN, Texas — Sept. 28, 2016 — PeopleAdmin, a leader in talent management software for K-12 and higher education, today announced the latest honoree of its Inspired2Educate recognition program for her inspiring story about how one educator helped her find a passion for learning in an unconventional way — by appealing to her love of gymnastics.
Marjorie Masse, a math interventionist at Westford Public Schools in Westford, Massachusetts, told of Mrs. Smith, a gym instructor who made such an impression on her as a second-grader that Masse would go on to credit Mrs. Smith for her becoming a school teacher, a university instructor, and the person she is today.
“I was finally good at something at school!” Masse wrote in her Inspried2Educate submission. “She showed me a book with moves and values. There under the beam, I learned to add ¼ and ½,” she said. “I practiced while Mrs. Smith talked about fractions, gravity, momentum, and muscle cells. She spoke of history and maps. I jumped and twirled, and began to know that the world was interesting.”
PeopleAdmin CEO Kermit Randa awarded Masse with a scholarship today at a school assembly in Chelmsford, in front of about 350 students who were excited to see one of their school’s teachers recognized. Randa also awarded the school with a scholarship as well.
“Marjorie Masse is an incredible example of how one teacher’s compassion can inspire the entire course of a student’s lifetime,” Randa said. “She honors the legacy of her teachers — from Mrs. Smith to the college professor who encouraged her to move out of the science lab and into the classroom — each and every day by helping her students feel valued and empowered to learn.”
Inspired2Educate, a PeopleAdmin program begun in February, encourages current education professionals at all K-20 schools and grades — from kindergarten to Ph.D. programs — to nominate via video or in writing a teacher, administrator, or staff member who inspired them to start their careers in education.
Masse went on to major in microbiology and later received her teaching certificate and Masters in Education. She began her career in higher education, imparting to young teaching candidates the fundamentals of math and science, and now works with young students in grades three, four, and five. “I am one of the lucky ones. Someone saw me as worthwhile,” she said. “Someone tried and cared deeply about a student who couldn’t read or write, yet!”
Masse’s principal at Westford Public School, Kevin Regan, highlights her compassionate approach as the secret behind her success. “She’s just so student-centered. And that may sound like a cliché, but to me, somebody that puts the students at the center of their work really is here for the right reason,” he said. “We’re so lucky to have her.” 
Throughout the remainder of the year, PeopleAdmin will continue to honor each month an educator who submitted a video or written story to the program.
PeopleAdmin believes that acquiring, managing, and developing the right educators is the best way to ensure academic success for the next generation. Inspired2Educate is its way of recognizing some of those great educators and ensuring that our nation’s students get the education they deserve.
About PeopleAdmin
PeopleAdmin is the leading provider of cloud-based talent management solutions for education. Its software enables customers to streamline the hiring process, onboard new employees, efficiently manage positions and employee performance, develop compliant and defensible audit trails, and utilize industry-leading reporting and data-driven predictive analytics. PeopleAdmin’s integrated talent management suite includes applicant tracking, faculty search committee management, position management, onboarding, performance management, professional development management, and workforce planning, as well as a first-of-its-kind teacher candidate assessment tool created in partnership with a consortium of award-winning scholars, respected universities and research partners. PeopleAdmin solutions are rapidly deployed, easy to use, and supported through a world-class customer service organization.