Alumni News
Wajciechowski is Nation’s Top Health Teacher Jane H. Williams (M.Ed. ‘00), Hungary Creek Middle School, Henrico County
Chesterfield County Public Schools
By Chesterfield County Public Schools Community Relations Department Bailey Bridge Middle School’s Misti Wajciechowski (B.S. ‘94/M.Ed. ‘10) is the nation’s top health teacher. On April 1, she received the Health Education Professional of the Year School K-12 Award from the American Association for Health Education. A National Board Certified Teacher, Wajciechowski has been with Chesterfield County Public Schools for 15 years. Chair of the Health and P.E. Department at Bailey Bridge Middle, she created and implemented the middle school Fit 4 Life curriculum. Her path to becoming the nation’s top health teacher began when she was named Virginia’s top health teacher, then was selected as one of six regional winners, then was chosen from those six winners as Health Education Professional of the Year.
Award: $10,500 to study historic mathematical tools and to investigate how events during the Renaissance influenced famous mathematicians by visiting museums in Europe, and to visit the Museum of Computer History and Intel Museum in California.
R.E.B. Teaching Excellence Awards
Since its inception in 1988, the program has awarded $2.4 million to more than 580 public school instructors in recognition of their outstanding classroom performance.
Finalists of the R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence are among the best in their field. They are skilled educators who help their students understand even the most complicated concepts by connecting them with real-life applications. They also are coaches and mentors who encourage young people to believe they can achieve their dreams. Three of the 18 award recipients in 2010 are VCU School of Education alumni: Emily A. Betts (M.T. ’06), Open High School, Richmond Public Schools Award: $9,000 to develop expertise in evolutionary biology by studying the unique flora and fauna of Australia. Lindsay Porzio (Graduate Certificate ‘07), Bon Air Elementary School, Chesterfield County Award: $9,000 to rent a 42-foot boat and sail along the coast of southern Italy to explore volcanic islands and the region’s history. She also will complete the recertification process for National Board certification.
26 The Bridge • Spring 2011
The awards program, which is a partnership between The Community Foundation and the R.E.B. Foundation, recognizes excellence in public education by awarding direct cash grants to outstanding public school teachers from the City of Richmond, the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover and the Department of Correctional Education.
Photos courtesy of Richmond Public Schools, Chesterfield County Public Schools and Henrico County Public Schools.
Updates Sherry Wharton-Carey (M.T. ’94) was principal of Bellevue Elementary School in Richmond, Va., when it was named a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. She is now principal of E.D. Redd Elementary School. Henry W. Castelvecchi (B.S. ’01/M.Ed. ’10) will oversee a $2,000 ING Run for Something Better grant at Crestwood Elementary School in Chesterfield County, Va., where he is a physical education teacher. His program is called the Monarch Marathoners. The grant is to inspire students to be more active and make healthful choices. Mark E. Chamberlain (M.Ed. ’90) is principal of Short Pump Middle School in Henrico County, Va., which