It's an honor
Rachael Clayson, Genesee Valley BOCES TA, was selected as the New York State Agricultural Teacher of the Year by the state Association of Agricultural Educators. She is an animal science instructor at the Charles G. May Center in Livingston County.
Anthony Pantaleno, Elwood Teacher Alliance, received the 2013 School Psychologist of the Year award from the National Association of School Psychologists. Pantaleno has served as a school psychologist in the Elwood district for 35 years.
James Schneider, Schenectady FT, was selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants to participate in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Summer Teacher Institute. During the five-day program, Schneider will work with library education specialists while exploring some of the millions of digitized historical artifacts and documents available on the library's website.
Gloria Sfiroudis, United Federation of Teachers, was honored by the UFT at the union's annual scholarship dinner. Sfiroudis, who has taught for 50 years, was recognized for her "union activism and untiring commitment to the students at PS 229."
GRAMMY recognition
More than 200 music teachers from across the country were selected as quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation. More than 30,000 nominations were submitted from all 50 states. Twenty-one quarterfinalists are from New York state:
- Diane Abrahamian, Penfield EA
- Gregory Bennett, Middletown TA
- Diana Geiger, Ithaca TA
- Janet Grice, UFT
- Rebecca Hall, North Syracuse EA
- Amanda Sky Harris, United Liverpool FA
- Valerie Jones, Connetquot TA
- Kent Knappenberger, Westfield TA
- Dawn McInroy, Canisteo-Greenwood EA
- Danielle McRoy, Half Hollow Hills TA
- Ferdinand Pasqua, Harrison AT
- Audrey Rome, Roosevelt TA
- Joseph Rutkowski, Great Neck TA
- Karl Siewertsen, Plainedge FT
- Michael Smith, Nyack TA
- William Tiberio, Fairport EA
- Richard Wiederman, Three Village TA
- Unaffiliated nominees: Elaine Gates, John Landers, Anthony Mazzocchi and Jerry Phelps
In print
William Fibkins, Shoreham Wading River TA retiree, wrote Class Warfare: Focus On 'Good' Students Is Ruining Schools and Wake Up Counselors! Restoring Counseling Services for Troubled Teens. For more information, visit www.williamfibkins.com.
Robert Foley, Yonkers Federation of Teachers retired, wrote The Consequences of Playing God: Tales from Lingor High School. A collection of short stories woven into a single novel, Consequences takes readers on a journey through four decades of life at a fictional high school. For copies, visit www.robertjosephfoley.com or www.xlibris.com.
J. Johannes Froebel-Parker, Ravena Coeymans Selkirk TA, wrote The First Kindergarten: Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel & Baroness Bertha Marie von Marenholtz-Buelow. In this historical novel, Froebel-Parker joins through literature the lives and contributions of two of the world's greatest proponents of children's education who are still relevant today. To order, visit www.amazon.com.