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Education
The County Times
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Rise Up Award On April 29, the St. Mary’s County Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Special Education presented the 2015 “Rise Up” Award at the Board of Education meeting for St. Mary’s County Public Schools. On hand to present the award was Elizabeth Snyder, Chair of CACSE. Assisting in the presentation was Melissa Charbonnet, SMCPS Director of Special Education and Leslie Popielarcheck, Vice-Chair. Three awards were presented this year, each of which recognizes individuals and groups in the school system and in the greater community who have gone above and beyond the normal call of duty to support our students with disabilities in their educational endeavors. Ms. Snyder said these awards “recognize special educators who have truly gone to extraordinary efforts to contribute to the growth, happiness and general well-being of our children with disabilities.” She said families wanted to honor the patience, determination, compassion and loving nature of educators and staff should be recognized for the change made in the lives of their children. This year’s recipients of a Certificate of Award, include: • The team of Judy Coleman-Kia, SAIL Program instructor; Cherise Blyler, paraeducator; Donna Heidelbach, paraeducator; and Carolyn Steiner, physical therapist, from Benjamin Banneker Elementary School. This team was nominated on behalf of supporting a fifth grade student who receives full support for daily functions and who has overcome great medical difficulties. The nominating family said the “love, care and support this child receives is phenomenal.” • Holly Calabro, elementary physical education instructor at Chesapeake Public Charter School. This educator supports a kindergarten student; the family reported that Ms. Calabro “always looked at their son for what he can do despite the delays and physical limitations of his disability,” and that her enthusiasm and encouragement helped him to overcome his inhibi-
tions in sports and achieve many goals. • Christine Nueslein, kindergarten teacher, and Lindsey Kitchen, special education teacher, at Leonardtown Elementary School. The nominating family said these educators helped to integrate a child with Down’s syndrome into the general education classroom, and that she “has grown both socially and intellectually due to their dedication and positive attitude. Each winning school also will have the opportunity to choose and receive a presentation of items from CACSE’s new “Family Toolbox,” a program CACSE is developing to provide educationally- and medicallyoriented equipment and materials for parents and educators to check out and borrow under a new loan program CACSE is building through the St. Mary’s County Public Library system. Additional nominees received a Certificate of Excellence. They include: • The team of Rebecca Perosio, special education kindergarten teacher, and Coleen Singleton, speech/language pathologist, at Green Holly Elementary School. • Abirami Ramalingam, speech/language pathologist at Greenview Knolls Elementary School. This is the third year that this award has been given. Awardees are selected from nominations submitted by parents of children with disabilities, and reviewed by Ms. Popielarcheck, Mandy Greer, and Chuck Slade. All nominees received a certificate of recognition. Ms. Snyder also presented Ms. Charbonnet with a bouquet of flowers in recognition for her service and support because she “resonates a true compassion for our families.” Scott Smith, Superintendant of St. Mary’s County Public Schools, said although it means a great deal when the school system recognizes educators, but when parents and communities come out to recognize staff and tell the story of their success, it is a “beautiful thing.” Ms. Charbonnet also presented a certificate to Dr. Tracy Harris, Vice-President of
Benjamin Banneker Elementary School Recipients
Chesapeake Public School Recipient
Leonardtown Elementary Recipients
the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland, in recognition for CSM’s continued partnership in the “Gateway to Independence Program.” This program offers students aged 18-21 with disabilities the opportunity to engage in the college experience where they can work on post-secondary goals to live, work, and learn independently with their peers. In addition, SMCPS and CSM share in the “Life After High School” program where at-risk students can participate in a diploma pro-
Elizabeth Snyder and Melissa Charbonnet
gram that, to date, 100 percent of enrollees have completed and have graduated on time. CACSE is taking this opportunity to recognize the dedicated individuals who work with our students and to thank them for the amazing jobs they do every day, including teachers, paraeducators, and therapists. Many thanks to this year’s recipients and nominees, the parents who shared the wonderful stories of their work, and the Director and Staff of the SMCPS Department of Special Education for their assistance.
CSM Honors Student Athletes at Awards Banquet, April 22 Athletes, Coaches, Families Celebrate Accomplishments, Records
CSM student athletes Laura Shaner, left, of Leonardtown, Sean Bucior, of Mechanicsville, and Taylor Superior, of Leonardtown, display their plaques at the 2014-15 Athletic Banquet held at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Center April 22. Shaner earned the Student-Athlete Scholar of the Year Award, Bucior earned the Male Athlete of the Year Award and Superior earned the Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Sportsmanship, academic achievement and athletic excellence for the 2014-15 season were honored at the College of Southern Maryland’s athletic awards banquet held at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center April 22. During the ceremony, coaches from CSM’s athletics department presented awards for accomplishments in baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball. Sophomore Taylor Superior of Leonardtown was selected as the Female Athlete of the Year. “This is the second season Taylor has been team captain,” said CSM Women’s Soccer Coach Adam Sanchez. “Under her leadership, the program amassed 25 wins in two seasons, made appearances at the NJCAA Region XX Championship as well as the NJCAA National Tournament, and won a MDJUCO Championship.” Sophomore Sean Bucior of Mechanicsville was named the Male Athlete of the
Year for the second season in a row. A forward and captain of the men’s soccer team, Bucior “is a very speedy and determined player who has asserted himself as one of the most dominant strikers CSM has had,” said CSM Men’s Soccer Coach Derek Dyson. Recipient of the Student Athlete Scholar of the Year Award was sophomore Laura Shaner of Leonardtown. “Her academic goal is excellence, and she does not accept anything less,” said Sanchez. “Even after an exhausting match 90 minutes away, while most players would succumb to fatigue and sleep on the bus ride home, Laura was consistently found studying zoology, math, anatomy or her other prenursing courses.” To view photos from the Athletic Banquet, visit http://csmphoto.zenfolio. com/15athbanquet. For more on CSM Athletics, visit www. csmd.edu/athletics/index.html.