She meets students where they are. She believes in them even when they may not believe in themselves.”

NEARI President Val Lawson

PORTSMOUTH — Michelle Murtha, a special education teacher at Portsmouth High School who spends part of every summer writing personal postcards to her students, has earned one of the nation's highest honors for public school educators.

Murtha, who works in the high school's Therapeutic Academic Program (TAP), is one of just five educators nationwide selected to receive the 2027 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence from the NEA Foundation.

According to the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI), she is the first Rhode Island educator to receive the national honor.

The award follows her selection last spring as Rhode Island's 2027 Teaching Excellence Award recipient. From a pool of 50 state honorees, just five were chosen for national recognition.

Murtha will receive $10,000 and be honored at the NEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence in Education Gala on Feb. 12, 2027, at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. She is also a finalist for the NEA Member Benefits Award, the foundation's highest teaching honor.

The recognition is the latest milestone in a career spanning more than 25 years, much of it devoted to helping students facing significant academic and social-emotional challenges.

At Portsmouth High, Murtha works with teenagers who may feel disconnected from school, helping them rebuild confidence, develop stability and find a path toward academic success.

Her approach, colleagues say, begins with building relationships.

“She meets students where they are,” NEARI President Val Lawson said when Murtha received the statewide award last spring. “She believes in them even when they may not believe in themselves.”

That commitment extends beyond the classroom. Each summer, after grades are finalized, Murtha writes individual postcards to students she taught during the previous school year, offering encouragement and reminding them that someone believes in their potential.

It's a small gesture that reflects a larger philosophy of teaching — one that emphasizes patience, consistency and personal connections.

“I see families as essential partners in their child's success,” Murtha said in the earlier story. “I prioritize open communication and relationship building so families feel informed, respected, and included.”

Nathaniel Perry, who has worked alongside Murtha for more than two decades, praised her dedication to students and colleagues.

“Her calm, solutions-focused approach makes her an invaluable member of our school community,” Perry said.

A National Board Certified Teacher, Murtha has also completed advanced training in autism education, mentored fellow educators and held several leadership positions with NEA Portsmouth, the local teachers union.

The five national honorees were selected by an expert panel based on classroom excellence, expanding opportunities for students, community engagement, professional development and advocacy for the teaching profession.

“The educators we are honoring today represent the very best of public education,” said Sara A. Sneed, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation.

As part of February's celebration, documentary films highlighting the five educators' teaching practices and community impact will premiere at the gala.

For Murtha, the honor brings national attention to work that often takes place quietly — helping students who struggle find reasons to believe in themselves, one relationship at a time.