The Misericordia University Teacher Education Department recently honored educators from Pittston Area, Greater Nanticoke Area and Dallas school districts, Hildebrandt Learning Centers, Holy Redeemer High School and Misericordia University for their excellence in education at a reception that was held to celebrate American Education Week.
Four teachers were presented Excellence in Teaching awards and recognized for their inspirational work in the classroom. Those honored include Lynne Kosak, a second grade teacher at Wycallis Elementary School, Dallas School District; Andrea Grilz, a teacher in the Nanticoke Area Middle School; Ann Manganiello, a music teacher at Holy Redeemer High School, and Molly Vitale, associate professor of teacher education at Misericordia University.
Misericordia University teacher education student Elizabeth Klee, Shillington, Pa., cited Dr. Vitale as a faculty member who is willing to go the extra mile to help her students succeed. “She is a mentor, a friend and someone you want on your side,” Klee said in her nomination. “I have known Dr. Vitale for five years, and there has never been a time when I haven’t been able to confide in her and talk with her about anything I needed. She is always there for me, not just as a student, but as a person.” Dr. Vitale has been a member of the Misericordia faculty since 2001 Patricia McCann, RSM, Ed.D., professor emeritus of teacher education at Misericordia University, served as coordinator of the event.
The Outstanding Early Childhood Educator Award for excellence in early childhood education was posthumously awarded to Leanne Grace of Shickshinny, Pa. Prior to her death in June 2014, Grace was director of professional development at Hildebrandt Learning Centers, where she trained new teachers and helped open new centers for the child development company.
The Guardian Angel Award was given to Dawn Licata, an administrative assistant in the Pittston Area School District. Licata was honored for her efforts to help place Misericordia University students in student teaching assignments throughout the district.
In her nomination of Kosak, Misericordia University teacher education student Jessica Reuther, Scranton, Pa., cited her for providing an upbeat and positive environment for the students in her classroom. “She is adaptable, fun-loving, hard-working, organized and a creative teacher who loves her job and loves her students. In addition, she is always willing to answer any questions I have for her and is willing to help me in a heartbeat,” Reuther wrote.
In her nomination of Manganiello, Misericordia University teacher education student Rachael Coassolo, Laflin, Pa., recognized her high school chorus teacher as a person who had a positive influence on her life and still provides encouragement to this day. “Miss M is a wonderful educator who is dedicated not only to her students, but to the craft of teaching. I wish that I can be as dedicated to my students and to what I teach as she is,” Coassolo said.
Misericordia University teacher education student Alexandra Graham, Morristown, N.J., nominated Grilz for being very helpful throughout her field placement in an autistic classroom at the Nanticoke Middle School. “She is passionate and loves what she does,” said Graham. “She shows a compassion for her students and the people in her classroom by taking an interest in their lives and their education. She wants all of her students to succeed and be able to function in the school environment and outside the classroom. I aspire to be like her.”
The Misericordia University Teacher Education Program is one of 105 teacher preparation programs in the country and one of only seven in Pennsylvania named to the Honor Roll in the 2013 National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) ratings released by U.S. News & World Report on June 18. Misericordia University’s undergraduate secondary education program received three out of four stars in the national report, “Teacher Prep Review: A Review of the Nation’s Teacher Preparation Programs 2013.” The three-star designation means the Misericordia University Teacher Education Program “provides strong preparation,” according to the report.
The Misericordia Teacher Education Department sponsors undergraduate majors in three areas of specialization. The early childhood/special education program leads to two state certifications in pre-kindergarten to fourth grade and special education. A middle level education program prepares students for teaching fourth through eighth grades with a selection of five content concentrations including math/science, math/English, math/social studies, science/English, and science/social studies. MU also offers five areas of secondary education preparation for teaching seventh through 12th grades, including biology, chemistry, English, history (citizenship), and mathematics. All of the university’s teacher education programs are approved by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
For more information about Misericordia University, please log on to www.misericordia.edu or call (570) 674-6400. Founded and Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County’s first four-year college and offers 36 academic programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full and part-time formats.
From Misericordia University
