Best in class
Four Allegheny County educators nominated for Pa. Teacher of the Year
Four Allegheny County teachers are among the 12 nominated for 2018’s Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award.
The winner will be announced in December in Hershey at the state Department of Education’s annual professional development conference for educators.
“Teachers spend their lives educating, empowering, listening, mentoring, guiding, inspiring, serving, and supporting each of their students,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a news release announcing the nominees last week. “I applaud each of these educators for their hard work and for earning this important recognition.”
Linda Granite has taught beginning band to fourth- and fifth-graders at Marshall Elementary School in the North Allegheny School District since 2007.
“Her passion for music and children and the profession is the gem among the mere stones,” said Tammy A. Andreyko, the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum, assessment and professional development. “There is never a moment when I don’t see her thinking about ways to make teaching and learning better for all children.”
Prior to North Allegheny, Ms. Granite, 45, taught at elementary schools in Butler County and Port Allegany, McKean County. At Marshall, her students are often picking up an instrument for the first time.
“It’s a huge responsibility, and a great honor, to give them their first experience. I get to be the one that sees those lightbulb moments.”
She’s committed to giving back, too, she said, by inviting student teachers into her classroom.
“I want to give a young teacher a good experience, time to make their mistakes. ... I think we need to take notice of the young people out there who enjoy working with kids, and we need to encourage them.”
Adam Gebhardt, a K-5 art teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in the West Jefferson Hills School District, is in his
ninth year and has been hard at work on the upcoming end-of-year art show.
“It’s been hard to sit back and enjoy being one of the finalists,” he said, laughing. “I’m thrilled. I would have been happy if I had got through one round. Even just to be nominated is a great honor.”
Jefferson Elementary was the first teaching position for Mr. Gebhardt, 33, who earned degrees from Penn State and Boston University.
He said what makes him stand out as an educator is a commitment to innovation in the classroom. He has sought and received nine different grants in as many years for classroom materials, including a full set of digital cameras.
He even took an old computer lab and turned it into a video production room, an addition “pretty unique” in an elementary school.
“I’m always looking for the next way to improve and innovate,” he said. “It kind of changes the entire culture of the classroom.”
Greg Mason, a physics teacher at Shaler Area High School, said he was honored to be considered.
“I had some co-workers nominate me, and that means a lot to have the respect and admiration of your peers,” said Mr. Mason, who has been a teacher for 11 years. “I never thought I’d get this far.”
Mr. Mason, 33, has been teaching in Shaler Area for six years and is on a team of teachers who hosts the district's annual STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics —competition.
He frequently brings to class “real world” items — like car windshields or tools from his garage — to help illustrate for his students the real-life applications of physics, said Shaler Area High School principal Timothy Royall. Once, he dressed in a poncho and let the students lob water balloons at him during a lesson on speed and arc.
“I think that the teacher-of-the-year program is looking for someone who has passion about educating students, and Greg certainly has that,” Mr. Royall said. “He’s dynamic, he’s a phenomenal instructor but he also has a huge amount of dedication to the field.”
Christina Frank has been a science teacher in the Montour School District for about 25 years.
As a student at Penn State, she first studied chemical engineering.
“And I was bored,” Ms. Frank said.
“I just decided this wasn’t the path I wanted to take.”
Thirteen days before graduation, she switched her major to education and never looked back, she said.
Ms. Frank, 52, who teaches at Montour High School, said she was surprised to advance and become a finalist for the honor.
“It was a very introspective experience,” she said. “Just looking back at my career — I’ve been a teacher for 30 years now — it was very overwhelming and very enlightening. I think the most rewarding part of this when it was announced, I had so many former students get in touch with me and offer positive thoughts and congratulations.”