Suffolk Reporter

Debra Flynn has been named the 2024 William Floyd Alumni Association Outstanding Educator. Her journey into teaching began in second grade, inspired by her teacher Sister Bridget Marie. After graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 1981 with a degree in elementary education, Flynn was hired at John S. Hobart Elementary School.

Flynn started as a third-grade teacher, where she taught cursive writing and multiplication through songs. "I quickly learned that my students became my 'school kids,'" she said. Later, she moved to fifth grade, adapting to new technology like Smartboards with help from her students. "Thank goodness I had the teacher’s manual for math," she added.

During her career at Hobart, Flynn earned a master's degree in special education from C.W. Post in 1984 and participated in various school committees and union roles. She transitioned to a first-grade collaborative classroom with the support of a mentor before having her own first-grade class.

In June 2018, after 37 years of teaching at Hobart, Flynn retired but returned in 2019 to work with former colleagues at William Floyd. She now serves as the director of the William Floyd Teacher Center.

"My school kids taught me how to be a teacher," Flynn stated. "It is an honor to be recognized as an Outstanding Educator."