Sandy Celauro
Rutland Middle School
Sandy Celauro, an English teacher with the Rutland Middle School for the past ten years, has succeeded in creating a culture that supports fitness oriented activities among the staff. Three years ago, following her attendance at a PATH Adventure conference, Celauro met with the school’s administrator to ask for time to teach balance and mind-body connections at the beginning of faculty meetings. As a former Zumba instructor she said “I will just do this,” and to her surprise, the administration agreed.
The day we visited, during a short break in-between classes, Celauro, tall with long blond hair and wearing a blue sweater, gray pants and black boots, invited her colleagues to join her in an impromptu movement activity for ten minutes. She asks them to each grab a literature book to use as free weights, sets up some lively music and begins leading a routine as she hollers “4, 3, 2, and 1.” Celauro is also passionate about encouraging colleagues to make use of the district’s employee assistance program, INVEST EAP. Speaking candidly, Celauro described how much she struggled with anxiety and depression after giving birth to her first child five years ago. Eventually, though it was difficult to find a professional with the expertise she sought, she was able to become healthy once again and regain her confidence. It was then she began writing about her son’s birth story and her journey during his first year of life. A short time later she turned this journal into a self-published book entitled “Dancing on the Edge of Sanity” using a seudonym. Since then, Celauro has had a second child and has become a staunch advocate for treating postpartum depression. She has meet with experts in the field and has been participating on a Vermont Department of Health postpartum depression task force. “In a perfect world, I would like to re-educate everyone about this issue,” said Celauro.
Outside of teaching, Celauro strives to maintain her balance through exercise, writing, coloring, making jewelry, skiing and hiking with her dogs.
