LéAnn Murphy Cassidy, Ed.S. is the 2018 Gilder Lehrman Connecticut History Teacher of the Year and a 2018 Connecticut State Teacher of the Year Finalist. She is entering her thirty-fifth year of teaching, serving simultaneously as a lead teacher and master mentor for the last fifteen years. She is a member of the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies Board, serves on the Teacher Advisory Council for the National Constitution Center, and sits on the National Council for the Social Studies House of Delegates Steering Committee. Most recently, she co-authored the book “7th Grade Ready: Expert Advice to Help Parents Navigate the Year Ahead” as a member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year.