by Jen Myers

Barbara Burgess’ kindergarten classroom at the McAuliffe Elementary School is like an adorable microcosm of the city itself.

There are kids from all backgrounds and cultures. Some who are learning English for the first time, others who have attended preschool and are already pretty good at reading, and some for whom this classroom is their first foray into school. 

The students come to the classroom with differing needs, differing styles of learning, and at different levels of knowledge. Ms. Burgess juggles them all with humor, empathy, patience, and high-fives in a way that lifts everyone up.

On a recent morning, her class had just finished reading a fan favorite –  “Little Red Riding Hood.” They discussed the story by answering some key comprehension questions like: “What did the wolf do at Grandma’s house?”  They were then tasked with drawing – using the very best pencils (Ticonderoga #2) – their favorite part of the tale. For many of the kids it was the scene when Little Red finds the Big Bad Wolf dressed as grandma in grandma’s bed! 

One student was flummoxed. He could not figure out how to draw the wolf. Burgess demonstrated, comparing the wolf to a character with which he is very familiar – Sonic the Hedgehog. Simply draw a cat head and then add spiky sides like Sonic has to fill out the wolf’s jowls.

And wouldn’t you know it? Big Bad really is just a cat in a Sonic costume. Who knew? 

Following the quick lesson, the boy was empowered to complete his drawing. 

“Helping every child find joy, confidence, and a sense of belonging in the classroom is both the challenge and the magic of this work,” said Burgess. “I love when a student who has struggled finally has a breakthrough — when they write their name independently for the first time, draw a picture instead of scribbling, read a word, sentence, or book independently, or when they complete an assessment and realize just how much they’ve learned. Seeing that sense of pride and confidence build is incredibly rewarding.”

That magic she helps her students find is what led Sarah Foster, a teacher at the Laura Lee School and parent of one of Ms. Burgess’ students, to nominate her as a Classroom Quarterback. 

“As the first teacher many children ever have, she sets the tone for their entire school experience with warmth, humor, and deep respect for each child’s unique needs, thoughtfully engaging parents throughout the year,” said Foster. “Her joyful, welcoming classroom—famous for its Friday parade—makes children love coming to school while holding them to high expectations for learning and social and emotional development.”

Burgess’ path to becoming a teacher was about as winding and convoluted as a kindergartener’s first scribbles. 

She grew up in Lowell and studied drafting at Greater Lowell Technical High School, followed by earning an Associate’s degree and paralegal certificate from Middlesex Community College.  

Burgess worked at a publishing company for more than a decade as an advertising production manager and then an editorial production manager, formatting and laying out industry specific magazines, an experience she said has helped her integrate technology into her teaching. 

“September 11th happened and it changed my perspective on a lot of things,” she said. “It was then that I went back to school (Rivier College) to get my teaching degree.”

Her introduction to teaching in Lowell Public Schools was a stint at the Bailey Elementary School – first doing her student teaching there and then working as a long-term substitute for a second grade class for half a year and a fourth grade class for a full year. 

In 2009, she landed at the McAuliffe Elementary School. She served  as the PreK/K Special Education teacher for four years before moving into the mainstream kindergarten classroom, and hasn’t looked back. She found her spot. 

“My first priority is helping both students and their families feel safe, seen, and welcomed from the very beginning,” Burgess said. “I focus on building strong relationships — taking time to learn how to say each child’s name correctly, getting to know their interests, and honoring their home languages and cultures.  In the classroom, we use visuals, routines, and lots of modeling so students can feel successful no matter what their background knowledge.” 

Clearly, kindergarten is her jam. She takes joy in watching the tremendous amount of growth that happens from September to June in that first year and in keeping tabs on her students as they grow and move on. 

“One of my favorite parts is when former students come back to visit, share their accomplishments, or read to my class,” Burgess said.  “It reminds my current students — and me — that they are always part of this classroom community, and that I will always be proud of them.”

She also relishes in the challenges that come with teaching a diverse group of students that includes English language learners.

“Kindergarten is already a language-rich environment, so the strategies we use to support multilingual learners — like visuals, modeling, repetition, and opportunities for conversation — benefit all students,” she said. “Having translation tools available has made a difference in being able to clarify and ask and answer questions.  I love when a student asks to say something in their home language and then I can rephrase it in English for them.  It becomes a classroom where language is explored, practiced, and celebrated together.”

The kids really light up, she said, during literacy and phonics lessons. She credits a growth in reading skills to the district’s use of Letterland — a multisensory phonics system that transforms letter shapes into characters and uses stories to explain letter sounds and spelling rules — adopted by LPS in 2021. 

“Shifting the focus to the sounds letters make, through the engaging characters, before introducing letter names, has made a huge difference in students’ confidence and their willingness to take risks with reading and writing,” she said.   “It has given us a common language and the students feel so successful.”

The recently adopted ARC literacy curriculum is also making a splash in her classroom, with a focus on science topics that pique the interest of her young students. 

“Students are incredibly engaged — they have become curious, are asking thoughtful questions, and are excited to explore and talk about what they’re learning,” she said.  “It’s so satisfying to watch them work together, build ideas, and make connections between what they’re reading and the world around them. That sense of curiosity and collaboration really brings the learning to life.”

At the end of the school year, when the kindergarteners are ready to leave her nest and fly up to first-grade, she hopes they take with them the understanding that learning isn’t about things being easy — it’s about working hard, staying curious, and growing through challenges.

“I want them to believe in the “Power of Yet”: just because they don’t know something now doesn’t mean they won’t in time,” she said. “More than anything, I want them to see that their paths are full of possibilities, that they are capable of more than they can imagine, and to believe in themselves. At the heart of it all, I want them to carry with them the knowledge that they are deeply loved, valued, and supported — always.”

All About Ms. Burgess

Hobbies: Genealogy research, baking, and teaching my dog to talk with buttons (LOL).
Dream Vacation: To go back to Ireland
Favorite song to sing in the car: The Greatest Showman, but honestly any Broadway musical.
Favorite meal: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite snack: Potato chips
Favorite Movie:  I cannot possibly decide!
Favorite Book: How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills
Favorite TV Show: Currently, High Potential
Favorite Fictional Characters: Rocket from How Rocket Learned to Read with Fancy Nancy coming in a close second.