Occupation: I am the lead teacher at Hawley Elementary School. I love this job because I get to interact with and support the entire school. I have been teaching for 25 years, and I can’t think of any career that would have satisfied me as long as teaching has.

Family: I live here in town with my husband, Mark Forlenzo, and my daughter, Julia. Julia is a sophomore at Newtown High School. My older daughter, Teresa, is a senior at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.

Pets: We have one little dog, Cocoa. He is 11 years old, but we still call him “the baby.” Over the years, we’ve had turtles, guinea pigs, hamsters, frogs, fish, and a bunny.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I was actually born in Newtown. My childhood family moved away when I was about 8 months old. Ironically, my husband and I moved back to Newtown when our first daughter was also about 8 months old.

What do you like to do in your free time? In my family, all of us love musical theater. My children love to perform, but I am just a spectator. Our favorite shows include Hamilton (of course), Les Miserables, and Into the Woods.

What is your favorite book? All of my favorite books are children’s books. My top two are The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Both stories chronicle the journeys of two unlikely heroes who triumph over darkness — especially that which exists within their own characters.

What is your favorite travel destination? We love the beach. Cape May, N.J., is our favorite. The old Victorians and horse-drawn carriages create a slow-paced atmosphere that relaxes all of us.

What is the best part about Newtown? The best part of living in Newtown for me is Halloween on Main Street. We live on one of the side streets, so we get a lot of the overflow trick-or-treaters. The costumes and the tradition here are like nowhere else I’ve ever been.

What organizations are you part of in Newtown? Currently, I am part of Ben’s Lighthouse and the Choral Parents at Newtown High School. As a family, we also enjoy volunteering at the Newtown Arts Festival and the Turkey Trot.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? A little known fact about me is that I hated school growing up. One teacher in 11th grade showed me a little extra interest. Nothing fancy, just extra help without judgment. The impact was life changing. I am a teacher because of her.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? I guess I’d love to go back and find that teacher and tell her how her kindness shaped my life choices. Even in my teenage years, I thought of her as divine intervention.

Who is your favorite musical artist? My favorite musical artist is Van Morrison. Into the Mystic is my favorite song. Long car rides are perfect for getting lost in his voice.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? Forgiveness changes and heals those who give it more than those to whom it is given.

What is something you cannot live without? I can’t live without dark chocolate and coffee. A little bit of each every day does the body good.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Through my work with Ben’s Lighthouse, I have learned a lot about the power of compassion to heal. Bringing that mindset into my practice as an educator fills me with gratitude for the time I have spent working with Ben’s Lighthouse.