Pat-Med Honors December Employees of the Month

From Patchogue-Medford School District:The Patchogue-Medford School District honored its December Employees of the Month during a Board of Education meeting on Monday, December 18.

The winners were Lisa Augustine, Kindergarten Teacher at Bay Elementary, Gregory DeSario, Physical Education Teacher at River, and Rita-Marie Krepela, Social Studies Teacher at PMHS.

Please note the following statements that were made on behalf of these individuals during the meeting by Dr. Joey Cohen, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in Patchogue-Medford Schools:

Ms. Augustine is a kindergarten teacher at Bay Elementary School. Parents define he demeanor as “A kind and gentle soul that brings happiness to children.” She exhibits a passion for her craft, and she is widely respected among her colleagues as an expert in literacy instruction. Throughout her career, Ms. Augustine has facilitated countless meetings to refine and improve instruction. She has a gift in the way she interacts with students and staff to bring about the best possible outcomes. Ms. Augustine firmly believes that all children have the ability to learn with the proper guidance and support in the classroom, and she has proven that statement time and time again over the course of her career. Her enthusiasm and efforts when it comes to assisting students, staff and the community are greatly appreciated.

Mr. DeSario is a physical education teacher at River Elementary School. Recently his school hosted a dancing program for fifth grade students. During the final performance, Mr. DeSario noticed that one of the fifth grade girls was not paired up with a student, and instead of ignoring the situation that would have left the child with hurt feelings, he immediately sprang into action. Mr. DeSario did not make a big deal of the situation, but he jumped in and started dancing with the fifth graders so everyone could participate without feeling left out. It is this type of proactive intervention that helped a child to enjoy the activity, leaving them to feel positive about themselves and the program. He advises many clubs and activities at River and he is always available to offer a helping-hand to support the initiatives in the school. Mr. DeSario’s flexibility and cooperation help to support the students, staff and parents of the River Community. Keep up the great work!

Ms. Krepela is a social studies teacher at Patchogue-Medford High School. This recognition is centered on her on-going communication with parents regarding grades and assignments. She has proven to be a child advocate, and she builds positive, meaningful relationships with both students and parents to support the home/school connection. Ms. Krepela recognizes the stressors that exist for children, particularly at the secondary level, and she offers strategies such as deep-breathing and yoga to foster coping skills that will serve students well into adulthood. The students and parents she serves have noted that her approach is different in that she understands the whole child, and embeds strategies to serve the individual rather than the collective group. Ms. Krepela’s daily efforts to mediate content acquisition while maintaining other aspects of child development are greatly appreciated!

These candidates represent some of the best of Patchogue-Medford and were nominated for their positivity, work ethic, spirit of collegiality and connection with students. We are honored to celebrate their contributions and the many more staff members who continue to exemplify the traits that make Patchogue-Medford stand out!

Photo courtesy of Patchogue- Medford School District