13 Nazareth Area Teachers Honored

Thirteen Nazareth Area teachers were honored Monday night for reaching a landmark in their careers.

The teachers—some permanent, some long-term substitutes—were recognized for completing an induction program, one of three requirements teachers must meet to gain level-two certification.

The other requirements, according to superintendent Dennis Riker, are three years of successful teaching and completing 24 post-graduate credits.

Isabel Resende, assistant to the superintendent, presented certificates to the “inducted” teachers at Monday night’s school board meeting.

Also honored were the teachers’ mentors—the folks who have traveled farther down the road of the teaching profession.

Riker said teachers in the induction program meet regularly—Resende participates in the process—to review such topics as classroom management, parent-teacher conferences, lesson plans and report cards.

The following are the newly inducted teachers, listing their names, schools, curriculum and mentors:

• Jamie Miller, districtwide, behavior specialist, Therese Myers.
• Lauren Munson, high school, chorus/music grades 7-12, Frank Felix.
• Tyler Cressman, high school, world language (German) grades 9-12, Tracey Knauss-Warnke.
• Bryan Wolf, intermediate school, ELA/social studies grade 5, Michelle Brown.
• Shana Snyder, intermediate school, English/social studies grade 5, Katie Trach.
• Thomas Flisser, intermediate school, math/science grade 4, Greg Giemza.
• Kacy Friend, intermediate school, math/science grade 6, Scott Stump.
• Christopher Knecht, intermediate school, math/science grade 6, Joan Garrett.
• Alyssa Impink, middle school, English grade 7, Christian Bensing.
• Brian Scholl, middle school and Shafer Elementary, technology coordinator, Melissa Whitman.
• Nicole Herceg, Shafer Elementary, kindergarten, Kimberly Male.
• MaryAnn Becker, middle school, speech, Diane Polkowski.
• Patricia Bradley, Shafer Elementary, speech, Diane Polkowski.