Two ASK teachers honored for
excellence in early childhood education
POSTED MAY 26, 2010
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2010
R.E.E.C.H.E. Award recipients Dawn Buzzelli and Patricia
McCooey. |
Two Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School kindergarten teachers were
honored recently for their commitment to young learners and the
field of early childhood education. The 2010 R.E.E.C.H.E.
Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Patricia McCooey,
who is retiring in June after 30 years of service to the Port
Jervis School District. The 2010 Honorable Mention Award for
Excellence in Early Childhood Teaching was given to Dawn
Buzzelli.
A professional organization for early childhood educators,
R.E.E.C.H.E. (Recognizing Excellence in Early Childhood
Education) promotes quality childcare and education in the
Tri-State area through community events and the recognition of
early childhood educators. Awards are presented annually to
outstanding teachers who demonstrate the best approaches to
high-quality early childhood education.
Veteran teacher Patricia McCooey holds degrees in elementary,
middle and special education. In addition to teaching classes at
ASK Elementary School, McCooey has served as a homebound
instructor for students in grades K-12, an early intervention
provider for special needs infants and toddlers, a special needs
tutor, and a home care provider for disabled youth. She has also
co-presented parent training workshops for incoming kindergarten
students.
Over the years, McCooey received the New York State PTA Richard
Gazzola Teacher Fellowship Award for Advanced Study in 1998 and
was listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers in 2005-06.
Dawn Buzzelli has also spent most of her professional career
teaching in Port Jervis elementary students. After teaching
pre-school in Poughkeepsie for two years, Buzzelli joined the
staff at the former Sullivan Avenue Elementary School in 1987.
She taught there for seven years before taking time off to raise
her children. Shortly after returning to the classroom, Buzzelli
moved to ASK Elementary School where she has taught students in
grades K-3. For the past four years, Buzzelli has taught
kindergarten – actively engaging her students in innovative
learning activities such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension
Center egg incubation life cycles project.
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