Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable..

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.

Aiden Sisters holding a children's book. 

Aiden Sisters holding a children's book. 

DANBY — Books and reading opened the door to a career in education for Aidan Sisters, a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Currier Memorial School.

“I would line up all my stuffed animals on the bed and pull out a book,” says Sisters. “Then I would start to read.”

Later, her parents gave Sisters an easel that became her school blackboard for instructing her furry friends.

Perhaps because of all that practice, today Sisters is the recipient of the very first Shire Kids Teacher Award.

This honor comes from Shire Kids, a Dorset non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to books and early literacy programs for children in Southern Vermont. In partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Shire Kids works with schools, daycare providers, and families in Bennington County and Danby/Mt. Tabor to register children, from birth to 5 years of age.

Once signed up, each child receives a free, age-appropriate book every month through the age of five.

“In our first two years of operation, we distributed 20,000 books,” says Shire Kids Founder and Executive Director, Nicole Campbell. “To celebrate that milestone, we decided to start an annual Teacher Award and asked our 850 participating families to send us nominations.”

Currier Memorial School Nurse, Nichole Beagle, nominated her colleague Sisters.

“Aidan is so nurturing, loving, patient, and kind with her students,” wrote Beagle. “She creates an amazing environment for their learning. Aidan’s classroom is full of fun decor, activities that encourage mental and physical health such as yoga, books, awesome motor activities, stations that will spark teamwork and creativity, and flair that focuses on the students.”

Sisters has always enjoyed working with little learners.

“They are just super curious when they first come to school, always asking the question, ‘why?’” says Sisters. “They want to do basic things by themselves, like tying shoes or writing their name. I love their enthusiasm to learn. They make it fun to teach.”

She was particularly proud of the way her 3- and 4-year-old students handled the pandemic guidelines.

“The children love routine,” says Sisters. “For them it was no big deal getting used to wearing a mask, washing hands, and following directions as we moved through the day. From their perspective, it’s just how school goes. They taught me the importance of patience and slowing down in a crisis.”

Sisters is no stranger to New England. Born and raised in New Hampshire, she received a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Vermont. She went back and taught kindergarten in her hometown for 18 years.

“Then, I led my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop on a trip to go horseback riding in Danby,” says Sisters. “That’s how I met my husband and ended up teaching Pre-K in Danby.”

When not in class, Sisters enjoys being outside, hiking, swimming and boating. But reading remains her first love.

“I have a job where I get to read to kids every day. Now how great is that!”

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