BURRILLVILLE – A first grade teacher who has served the district for some 18 years was named 2026 Teacher of the Year by the Burrillville School Department in a surprise ceremony on Friday, May 30.
Heidi Cairo of Austin T. Levy Elementary School accepted the honor surrounded by colleagues, friends, family, and of course, her students.
“I have always wanted to be a teacher,” Cairo said. “The very first classroom that I taught in at Levy was my second grade classroom when I was a 7 year old little girl. I knew that when I became an adult, I wanted to have the ability to impact the lives of an entire class of students… if for just one year of their lives.”
Cairo earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies and Early Childhood Education from the University of Rhode Island, and was hired in Burrillville in 2007 as a kindergarten teacher. She moved to first grade at Levy Elementary in 2009, and has remained there since. Just last year, she was named Levy’s Teacher of the Year.
“Heidi Cairo is the kind of teacher who’s always there when we need help, who truly connects with all students, and who leads not just with knowledge—but with heart,” said Levy Principal Monica Tomson.
A member of National Association for the Education of the Young Child and Kappa Delta Pi- Society of Education Leadership, Cairo has completed ten courses in professional development in the past five years alone, including Bridge RI training; MTSS; Right to Read Act-Science of Reading training/Dyslexia certification; ELA Lead; HMH Into Reading; Conscience Discipline; Eureka Math; Foss Science/Gemsnet; Lexia and SEL Safety Care training.
She also also been an active participant in both the state and local education community over the years with activities including serving on the education program accreditation team for the University of Rhode Island in partnership with New England Commission of Higher Education, and the Rhode Island College re-accreditation team in 2024. Cairo has been a Burrillville High School CTE Education Pathway mentor and the leadership coordinator and liaison to the The Feinstein Foundation, providing students with school to home support, and resources and coordination of programs and grants.
Cairo sits on the Levy School Improvement Team, and administrators note she attends all community functions related to the school, including dances, book drives, food drives, EMS and Nursing home projects and other events, and coordinated the Showcase of Learning. She has also served as president, vice president and board member of the Ponaganset High School Music Association.
She has bee a Rhode Island College cooperating teacher since 2011 and will be a University of Rhode Island Clinical Educator placement for a teacher resident in the coming year.
And her commitment to community doesn’t end in the classroom.
Cairo was Miss RI USA in 2000 and a Miss USA contestant. She is an active member of the Burrillville Rocks group and also took part in Burrillville Animal Shelter project, school leaders noted.
“Heidi Cairo is a consummate professional that continually demonstrates her passion for teaching and her deep commitment to students,” said district Supt. Michael Sollitto. “This can best be stated in her own words as evidenced from her following statement:
‘With a safe, nurturing environment, strong classroom management, and rigorous academic expectations, kids can learn ANYTHING. I refuse to believe anything less. Progress comes from persistence. This is what I have set out to inspire my students to believe as well.’
On behalf of the Burrillville School Department, congratulations Ms. Cairo.”
