Popular Wethersfield middle school science teacher with a ‘great sense of humor’ dies from illness
A middle school science teacher in Wethersfield died from an illness over the weekend, according to Wethersfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael Emmett.
Science teacher Thomas McLoughlin died from an illness that had kept him from teaching this year, which would have been his 18th in the district, Emmett said. McLoughlin taught at Silas Deane Middle School in Wethersfield.
Emmett described McLoughlin as ”a very likable gentleman [with a] great sense of humor and really focused on putting the kids first.” He said McLoughlin “was very popular among students” and made learning science fun.
The district opened Silas Deane Middle School for staff on Sunday and provided extra counselors to students and staff Monday, he said. Emmett said staff members told him that McLoughlin was an excellent colleague and that he will be dearly missed. He said McLoughlin was “always attentive to the needs of others.”
“Our focus obviously today was staff members, supporting them and supporting our students,” Emmett said.
McLoughlin was an avid outdoorsman, Emmett said. He was a town employee in the Parks and Recreation Department before becoming a science teacher in the district, Emmett said.
