Teacher Of The Year Announced In Strongsville

STRONGSVILLE, OH — The winner of this year's Sister Rita Mackert Teacher of the Year Award is DeNeen Russo, an intervention specialist at Chapman Elementary.

“Mrs. Russo is a valued member of our staff at Chapman Elementary. She is a true advocate for all students. Mrs. Russo builds positive relationships with students, parents, and staff and is a strong role model, educator, and leader in our school,” said Amy Pinney, Chapman Elementary principal.

The Teacher of the Year Award is given out by the Strongsville Council of the Knights of Columbus and recognizes an outstanding teacher in the Strongsville Schools.

“On behalf of the Strongsville Council of the Knights of Columbus, St. Francis of Assisi, we congratulate DeNeen Russo as our Teacher of the Year for the Strongsville City Schools. Mrs. Russo's commitment to her profession and dedication to her students made her our choice for the Sister Rita Mackert Award. Thank you Mrs. Russo for what you do with our greatest gift, our children,” said William Burdick, Strongsville Council of the Knights of Columbus.

Russo has been a member of the Strongsville Schools for more than two decades. In her role as an intervention specialist, she manages students' Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and ensures their academic needs are met. She works closely with parents and teachers to keep students on the right path.

“Learning in my classroom is a two way street. We all learn from each other every day. In my room we are all about having fun and learning, of course. Seeing my students learn new skills and master things they have been working on is the best feeling. Sometimes I am just amazed at my students’ determination to learn new things every day,” said Russo.

Russo's nomination form included the following comments: “In everything Mrs. Russo does, her love for children is visible and palpable. Mrs. Russo works with a number of children who have a wide range of needs and she gives each one of them her love and attention to help them learn and grow. If there is something a student needs, she researches best practices, locates the necessary resources, asks others for assistance, and implements her learning to be sure her students get the very best educational experience they can have.”