SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Southbridge teacher Jillian Lombardi has been named as the only teacher in Massachusetts to receive the Milken Educator Award in the 2024-25 season, state officials said Friday.
The prestigious national honor also comes with a check for $25,000 that Lombardi, who teaches science to sixth graders, can use however she chooses.
“Jillian Lombardi sparks curiosity, excitement and a genuine love of learning in her hands-on classroom,” Greg Gallagher, Milken Family Foundation senior program director, said in a statement. “Her enthusiastic approach to education is contagious, and it is just one of the many ways she will contribute to the national Milken Educator Network. Congratulations, Jillian!”
Lombardi joins over 3,000 Milken educators spanning the awards’ nearly 40-year history.
“Hailed as the ‘Oscars of Teaching,’ the Milken Educator Awards inspire educators, students and entire communities to ‘Celebrate, Elevate and Activate’ the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career,” officials said.
More than $75 million in monetary prizes and more than $145 million have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
“I could not be happier to see Jillian Lombardi recognized with this honor,” said Acting DESE Commissioner Russell Johnston. “I have visited her classroom, I know the outstanding work she has done with OpenSciEd and I know she is a wonderful representative of all the Southbridge and Massachusetts educators who believe in their students and work so hard for them every day.”
Officials said Lombardi maintains high expectations for herself and her students and supports them in reaching their potential.
Officials said Lombardi is known to make home calls to ensure students are diligent in completing their homework and serves as an advisor for students who need additional academic assistance.
Her firm yet nurturing approach pays off. Her tennis team earned the ‘best academic achievement for a sports team honor,’” officials said.
In her Student Advisory Group, officials said Lombardi increased the percentage of students completing homework from two-thirds to 83%, and she has supported the middle school’s schoolwide math goals by leading a daily math intervention and increasing math proficiency with her students on the iReady diagnostic year over year.
“She also makes interdisciplinary skills a priority, working with math and English language arts teachers on lessons that transfer learning from the classroom to the real world,” officials said.
Lombardi will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in April.
Lombardi earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2017 from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in education in 2021 from the American International College in Massachusetts.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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