Lawrence Elementary third-grade teacher Amy Drohan has been working for Holyoke Public Schools for more than 26 years. As a veteran educator, she not only supports her students to develop the skills outlined in the district’s REACH Learner Profile, she also embodies the skills herself. She especially is living this attribute “Help ourselves and others: We advocate, collaborate, own our own learning, and seek solutions.”
Ms. Drohan is also a strong collaborator with people from across the district, working with others to seek solutions to strengthen the learning and working environment for everyone.
“People need a voice. Teachers need a colleague who understands what it is like to teach in their school and can share ideas on how to make things better for students and staff,” Ms. Drohan said. When asked how she creates a culture where colleagues feel comfortable reaching out to her, Ms. Drohan explained: “I like to think I remember what it is like to be a new teacher, and I can empathize with the position they are in—being a new teacher, in a challenging context. I see myself in a way as a school mom. I encourage colleagues to reach out if they ever need anything, an answer to a question, a place to cry.”
Ms. Drohan serves on the district’s Retention Working Group, which is charged with researching, analyzing, discussing, and reflecting on best practices for teacher retention in order to develop a plan to increase teacher retention. She has also served on the district’s Teacher Advisory Group for five years and has been an Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) member at Lawrence for many years.
Ms. Drohan says the collaborative culture at Lawrence School contributed to her sharing her voice more and to step into leadership roles while continuing as a classroom leader. Ms. Drohan has also served on the ILT and as a mentor teacher. Ms. Drohan explained that Ms. Hourihan has created an open, trusting environment at Lawrence. “On ILT, you have to speak your mind, you have to say what you think,” Ms. Drohan said, and, in doing so, it helps the school community be stronger.
People from across Holyoke know Ms. Drohan and her family, including her mother Judy Duclos, who recently passed away. Ms. Duclos—who was a long-time HPS employee who worked in central office, Peck, and Lynch—helped connect her daughter to opportunities in Holyoke.
Ms. Drohan’s sons have also attended HPS schools, where she believes they received a strong education and learned to get along with everyone. Two sons graduated from Holyoke High and one attended through 8th grade, after which point the family moved and he transferred schools. Moreover, Ms. Drohan’s entire professional career has been in Holyoke. Her first teaching job was at Mont Marie Preschool in Holyoke. She then moved into a permanent substitute position at E.N. White. Her first full-time teaching job in HPS was at McHugh, which is now the senior center. When it was closed, she transferred to Morgan where she worked as a teacher and math coach. When Morgan was placed into receivership in 2014—ahead of the rest of the district—Ms. Drohan moved to Lawrence. At the time, she had three school-aged sons at home and knew that the additional hours that Morgan required wouldn’t work for her family life. She has taught first grade for her entire career, up until last year, when she moved to third grade at her request. She was ready for a new challenge and was also eager to reconnect with some former students whom she had taught during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why teaching? Ms. Drohan shared, “My father was a teacher for 29 years. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. It was never a second career choice. I love what I do. I love my Lawrence family. I love the kids. I get along well with their parents.”
To decompress and unwind, Ms. Drohan watches dramas and thrillers, cleans, and cooks. Soup—using whatever she has on hand in her kitchen—is a speciality, regardless of the weather. Soup seems to be a fitting specialty for Ms. Drohan. It is familiar, comforting, dependable, versatile and warm, which are some of her best qualities, as well.