More than 60 high school teachers from across Western New York received certificates for excellence in teaching from the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester. The teachers from area counties were selected by their schools for exceptional work in 2002-03.
The Warner School Awards for Excellence in High School Teaching are given to teachers whose practices reflect the attributes needed to improve the education system: They are student-centered, use innovative teaching techniques, believe that all children can learn and do learn in unique ways, and are themselves lifelong learners. Their schools, usually through processes that involve students, select awardees.
From among the winners, an awards committee picked four educators for special attention. This year's distinguished teachers were: Theresa Funk of East Rochester, art teacher at Wilson Magnet High School in Rochester; Marleen M. Mark of Dansville, English and language arts teacher at Wayland-Cohocton High School in Wayland; Marjory "Midge" Marshall of Rochester, teacher of English and theater at Fairport High School in Fairport; and Ronald K. Miller of Penn Yan, teacher and department chair of music at Dundee Junior-Senior High School in Dundee.
The celebration at the Memorial Art Gallery on May 14 was made possible by a grant from Marion A. and Leonard S. Simon. Mrs. Simon graduated from the University of Rochester with a doctoral degree in education. Mr. Simon is the retired vice chairman of Charter One Financial, Inc.
The Warner School (on the Web at www.rochester.edu/warner/) offers master's degree and doctoral degree programs in teaching, curriculum and change, counseling and human development, and educational leadership.
The honorees listed by their hometowns are: ALBION Marian Gerhardy of Albion teaches social studies and business at Byron-Bergen High School; Gary J. Simboli of Albion teaches vocal music at Albion High School.
ATTICA Constance Conway of Attica teaches English at Attica Senior High School.
AVON Douglas Hollinger of Avon teaches chemistry, physics and biology at Pavilion Central School.
BATAVIA Art Goldstein of Batavia teaches social studies at Oakfield-Alabama Senior High; Kenneth E. Hay of Batavia teaches music at Batavia High School; Robert Hollwedel of Batavia teaches industrial technology at Alexander Junior-Senior High School.
BRIGHTON Aileen Lynch of Brighton teaches social studies at East High School; Midge "Marjory" Marshall of Brighton teaches English/Theater at Fairport High School; Tim Williams of Brighton teaches art at Honeoye Central School.
BROCKPORT Tige Noni of Brockport teaches science at Kendall Junior-Senior High School; Donna Smith of Brockport teaches physics at Gates-Chili High School; Dan Viola of Brockport teaches chemistry at Brockport High School.
CALEDONIA John Wilbur of Caledonia teaches chemistry and physics at Caledonia-Mumford High School.
CANANDAIGUA Mary Cherniss of Canandaigua teaches art at Marcus Whitman High School; Laura Tantillo of Canandaigua teaches English at Red Jacket High School; Matthew C. Ward of Canandaigua teaches mathematics and computer science at Canandaigua Academy.
CASTILE Jane Eliasz of Castile teaches family and consumer sciences at Letchworth Central High School.
CONESUS Paula J. Jones of Conesus teaches art at Dansville Senior High School.
DANSVILLE Marleen Mark of Dansville teaches English and language arts at Wayland-Cohocton High School; Heather Pero of Dansville teaches science at Keshequa Central School.
EAST ROCHESTER Theresa Funk of East Rochester teaches art at Wilson Magnet High School.
FAIRPORT Nandy Bonavilla of Fairport teaches Italian at Irondequoit High School; Terrance James of Fariport teaches social studies at John Marshall High School.
FARMINGTON Virginia Shepherd of Farmington teaches French at Victor Senior High School.
FREEDOM John Chassin of Freedom teaches chemistry and physics at Warsaw Central School.
GENESEO Danielle Edmunds of Geneseo teaches English at Avon Junior-Senior High School; Matthew T. Frahm of Geneseo teaches global history and geography at Geneseo High School; Kathryn Hubacher of Geneseo teaches mathematics at Perry Central School; Amy Ivers of Geneseo teaches social studies at York Junior-Senior High School.
GENEVA Christine Conley of Geneva teaches biology/chemistry at Romulus Central School.
GREECE Michael Childs of Greece teaches science at Hilton Central School District; Julie Anne Oberholzer of Greece is an inclusive education teacher at Greece Athena Senior High School.
HAMLIN William Coe of Hamlin teaches mathematics at Greece Arcadia High School.
HENRIETTA Christopher Peets of Henrietta teaches social studies at Wheatland Chili Junior-Senior High School.
HOLLEY Karl Biedlingmaier of Holley teaches science at Churchville-Chili Senior High School.
IRONDEQUOIT Anthony Guzzetta of Irondequoit teaches social studies at Spencerport High School; Rev. Brian Murphy, O. Carm., of Irondequoit teaches classics at McQuaid Jesuit High School; Ed Ranalli, Jr., of Irondequoit teaches social studies at Aquinas Institute of Rochester.
LINWOOD Barbara Ayers of Linwood teaches French at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School.
LIVONIA Nicki Miller of Livonia teaches English at Livonia Senior High School.
LYONS Libarid Alexanian of Lyons teaches French at Lyons Junior-Senior High School.
MANCHESTER Michael Hart of Manchester teaches social studies at Bloomfield Middle-High School.
NAPLES Michael Salter of Naples teaches mathematics at Naples Senior High School.
NEWARK Gerard Benedict of Newark teaches science at Midlakes High School.
PALMYRA Ralph Brongo of Palmyra teaches social studies at Palmyra-Macedon High School; Lori Nau of Palmyra teaches mathematics at Ruben A. Cirillo High School.
PENFIELD Victor Beauseigneur of Penfield teaches driver's education at Rush-Henrietta Senior High School; Jim Doser of Penfield teaches music at Penfield High School.
PENN YANN Ronald Miller of Penn Yan teaches music at Dundee Junior-Senior High School.
PINE CITY Robert E. Smith of Pine City teaches mathematics at Notre Dame High School (Elmira).
RED CREEK William S. MacArthur of Red Creek teaches U.S. history, government and economics at Red Creek Junior-Senior High School.
ROCHESTER Lisa Klein of Rochester teaches chemistry and living environment at Webster Thomas High School; Ruthanne Main of Rochester teaches English at Clyde-Savannah Junior-Senior High School; Lisa M. Meyering of Rochester teaches English at Bishop Kearney High School; Lori Wun of Rochester teaches art at Allendale Columbia School.
VARYSBURG Debra Hochmuth of Varysburg teaches mathematics at Elba Junior-Senior High School.
VICTOR Mary Eilers-Knapp of Victor teaches English at East Rochester Junior-Senior High School.
WEBSTER Michele Fisler of Webster teaches English at Williamson Senior High School; Susan V. Gillespie of Webster teaches foreign language at Brighton High School; Ann Marie Swilley of Webster teaches mathematics at Nazareth Academy.
WILLIAMSON Gene Hoskins of Williamson teaches physics and biology at Sodus Senior High School.