Norwich — End-of-school-year activities often get goofy and creative in elementary school, so Wequonnoc Arts and Technology School fourth-grade teacher Samantha Cholewa didn’t suspect anything when the entire student body assembled for a basketball clinic by Norwich Free Academy boys’ varsity players and a shooting contest for Wequonnoc teachers.

Then Superintendent Abby Dolliver walked in holding a basketball. Cholewa saw several members of her family sneak in, carrying bouquets of flowers, and Board of Education Chairwoman Yvette Jacaruso, also carrying flowers and a balloon.

Dolliver handed Cholewa the ball and asked her to read the inscription to the assembly.

“Congratulations Miss Cholewa,” the teacher read. “You are Norwich’s Teacher of the Year 2019.”

Students screamed and applauded.

“Out of all the teachers in Norwich Public Schools,” Dolliver told the students, “guess who is the Norwich teacher of the year?” The students screamed in unison. “Miss Cholewa!”

“We are all so proud of her, and we are proud of you!” Dolliver told the students.

“Wow, that was a big surprise,” Cholewa said.

After the excitement died down, and the NFA players took over for their skills demonstration, Cholewa said she figured out what was up when she saw her family members and three Board of Education members enter the gym. Her parents, Debbie and Victor Cholewa, sister Kristal, brother Kyle and his wife, Jessica Cholewa, and their children, Colton, 4½ and Levi, 7 weeks old, joined in on the surprise, along with the teacher’s boyfriend, Corey Tondreau.

Cholewa, 29, has been teaching fourth grade at Wequonnoc for the past five years. A Griswold native and Griswold High School graduate, she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island in 2011. She now is enrolled in the Sacred Heart University master’s degree program at Griswold.

In addition to her classroom teaching, Cholewa, a member of the Mohegan tribe, has been writing curriculum for the entire school district, including a social studies curriculum that will have all Norwich fourth graders learn about the Mohegan tribal culture. The tribe will partner with the school district in the lessons.

When Cholewa was hired in Norwich, she said she agreed to whatever assignment administrators were looking to fill.

“I just said ‘yes’ to everything,” she said, “to learn quickly and really be a leader.”

Dolliver said Cholewa was “one of the kids I watched grow up.” For Dolliver, who will retire at the end of June, surprising the teacher of the year at the end of the school year each June has been a highlight of her nine-year tenure at the helm of Norwich schools.

“It’s like my favorite thing,” Dolliver said, “pulling this together.”

c.bessette@theday.com