Massachusetts Hall of Fame for Science Educators

Jim Terlizzi (1993)

Jim finished his military duty in the U.S. Army in 1965 and soon realized that now he had to find a real job. He had a degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. A former college room mate suggested that he try some teaching until he got organized.   Jim was not a certified teacher since teaching was the furthest from his mind when he got out of college.  Fortunately, private schools do not require teacher certification and he landed a job teaching Biology, Chemistry, Science, and Algebra I at Kingsley Hall Preparatory School in North Egremont, MA. It didn't take Jim long to realize that this was the job for him.  After two years at Kingsley Hall and his teacher certification completed, Jim wanted to be near the Boston area so that he could get his M.S. degree.

In 1967 Jim secured a teaching position in the Peabody school system, where he's been ever since. He began at the Seeglitz School which was 7th grade only. Jim found working with 7th graders very rewarding due to the enthusiasm for science found in students of this age. Two years later he moved to the high school but still misses the enthusiasm of those 7th graders. Jim has taught almost every chemistry and biology course that they offer, including 15 years of advanced placement biology. He became science department head in 1971 and has been in that position ever since. With a great science faculty behind him, he was able to introduce anatomy & physiology, advanced placement chemistry, advanced placement biology, advanced placement physics, organic chemistry, action chemistry, action physics and in 1998 biotechnology. More changes are on the horizon as Jim and the science faculty try to match the Massachusetts Frameworks to their curriculum and prepare for the MCAS test.

Jim has been a member of the Massachusetts Association of Science Supervisors since 1972, becoming president in 1985. He is a member of the National Science Education Leadership Association, was Region A. Director from 1985-1989, and has been the membership chairman since 1992. He is also a member of the National Science Teachers Association and the co-chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the 1999 Boston NSTA Convention. The group that he associates with most closely is the North Shore Science Supervisors Association. This group provides the help and expertise to science teachers and supervisors.  Since 1984 he has been the workshop coordinator for the Salem State Collage Math-Science Collaborative. For the last few summers he has helped produce PRIME Science, an integrated science for grades 6 through 10.

Jim was elected by his colleagues in the Massachusetts Association of Science Supervisors at the Outstanding Educator of the Year in 1990 and inducted into the Massachusetts Science Educators Hall of Fame in 1993.  Jim's year as a Fulbright Teacher Exchange Recipient in Harlow, England in 1990-91 was exciting as well as rejuvenating. Many of the curriculum standards that were in place in the U.K. at that time are now being introduced in Massachusetts.  Jim' year in Harlow was special in another way as well...he was able to teach some 7th graders again.

Special Honors:

• Outstanding Educator of the Year, 1990 - Massachusetts Association of Science Supervisors
• Fulbright Teacher Exchange Recipient, 1990-1991
• Inducted into the Massachusetts Science Educators Hall of Fame, 1993

Last Modified: October 7, 2004