Category Archives: Education

Adaptive PE teacher Lisa Belcastro was a former member Maryland House of Delegates

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Lisa Belcastro. a former member of the Maryland State House of Delegates, also taught middle school adaptive physical education. Photo credit: Slippery Rock University

Many excellent educators go on to successful careers in politics. One of these is Lisa Belcastro, who has served her community in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Lisa was born on Sept. 24, 1988, in Chicago, Illinois. As a young woman, she attended Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. there she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Science Health and Physical Education in 2012. After earning her degree, Lisa taught Adapted Physical Education at Buck Lodge Middle School in Prince George County Public Schools. From 2012 to 2017, she also worked as an assistant field hockey coach at Goucher College.

As a PE teacher, Lisa discovered a passion for helping students with disabilities—a passion she communicates to other educators. “The important thing to know is that any student, regardless of their disability, is able to do anything, it’s just going to look a little different,” Lisa declares. “You have to be willing as a teacher to think outside the box and find those creative ways to allow your students to participate in that activity,” she continued. To that end, Lisa began creating her own adaptive PE equipment that would could be adapted for use by her students. The equipment was so invaluable that it attracted attention from the US Department of State and countries around the world looking to make a similar impact for athletes with physical disabilities.

Lisa inaugurated her career in politics in 2017 when she worked as a volunteer coordinator for candidate Izzy Patoka, who was running for Baltimore County. Once he was elected, she became an aide to Patoka. Later, Lisa was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent District 11 in the Maryland House of Delegates. Once her term expired, she accepted a position as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities, where she has served since 2023.

 

Lillian Lowery completed a remarkable career in education

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Former English teacher Lillian Lowery logged many accomplishments as an educator. Photo credit: Newark Post

I always enjoy sharing stories about teachers who have completed remarkable careers in the field of education. One of these is former English teacher Lillian Lowery.

Lillian was born in Gastonia, North Carolina. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from North Carolina Central University in 1976. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1978. She completed the requirements for her Ph.D. in Education and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Lillian inaugurated her teaching career as a middle school English teacher at Gaston County Schools in Gastonia. She also taught in schools in Alexandria, Virginia; Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, Virigina; and Fort Wayne Community School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. With each new position, Lillian expanded her experience as an educator, serving as a high school English teacher, an assistant principal, a minority student achievement monitor, a principal, and an area coordinator.

In 2004, Lillian accepted a position as the Secretary of Education in Delaware, and then as the Superintendent of the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware. While living in that state, she also served as the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education. Next she moved to Maryland, where she served as the Superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education.

In September, 2015, Lillian became the first President and Chief Executive Officer of FutureReady Columbus, a non-profit specializing in early childhood education located in Columbus, Ohio. In March, 2017, she was appointed Vice President for PreK-12 Policy, Research, and Practice at The Education Trust, a national nonprofit working to identify and close opportunity and achievement gaps in K-12 education. This organization is located in Washington, DC.

For her work as an educator, Lillian garnered many prestigious awards. In 2015, the National Association of State Boards of Education honored her as the “Policy Leader of the Year.” This honor is awarded annually to a national or state policymaker in recognition of significant contributions to education. Lillian has also garnered the Second Mile Award from the University of Delaware; Wilmington, Delaware’s Junior Achievement Award; the City of Fairfax Mayor’s Service Award; and the Outstanding Service Award from the City of Fairfax School Board.

During her career, Lillian served on the boards of several organizations, Delaware State University, edreports.org, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Her final appointment came when, in 2018, she became the Vice President of Student and Teacher Assessments for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey.

Lillian retired in January, 2022, and, sadly, she passed away three months later, on April 13, 2022. She was 67 years old.

 

Farm schools, both at the turn-or-the-century and in modern times

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Boys work the farm at the Lyman School for Boys in Massachusetts. In 1890, 190 boys lived at the school. Photo credit: Westborough Public Library

When we think of schools today, I think most of envision the standard classroom with one teacher and 30 or so students, a chalkboard or white board, students desks, a bulletin board, playground, and so on. But while I was conducting research for my first book Chalkboard Champions, I learned a great deal about various types of schools that I had never heard about in my 36 years as a teacher. Industrial schools, emancipation schools, farm schools, normal schools, specialist schools—just to name a few. In our nation’s past there were many types of schools that didn’t look like the picture of a standard classroom. One type of school I learned about that I found particularly intriguing is the farm school.

A farm school was a boarding school which primarily served teen-aged boys. These schools were most often established by missions or charitable organizations during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The purpose of the farm school was to care for orphans and homeless youth, while simultaneously giving these youngsters the opportunity to learn a marketable skill which would enable them to find employment on farms in the Midwest or the South.

The farm school provided housing, food, and medical care. In addition to room and board, the school offered training in agricultural skills, and in fundamental literacy skills in such subjects as reading, writing, and mathematics.

Today, a farm school offers outdoors programs that teach learners to appreciate the importance of farm-to-table practices, healthier eating habits, preparation of our natural environment, and becoming active agents of change in their communities.

Ohio’s Aaron Taylor garners 2023 Difference Makers Award for his work in Holocaust education

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English teacher Aaron Taylor of Westerville, Ohio, garners one of eighteen 2023 Difference Makers Awards by the Columbus Jewish News for his work in Holocaust education. Photo credit: Westerville Schools

Congratulations to Aaron Taylor, an English teacher at Westerville North High School in Westerville, Ohio, who has been named one of 18 Difference Makers for 2023 by the Columbus Jewish News. The annual award honors individuals whose efforts have had a significant impact on the Jewish community in Central Ohio.

For the past two years, Aaron has been involved in a Holocaust education task force sponsored by his synagogue. The group examines how the Holocaust is taught in local schools and what resources are available to help educators teach the subject accurately and effectively. During the summer, the task force hosted its first Holocaust education seminar which was attended by nearly 50 teachers from twelve Central Ohio districts. The event provided participants with online resources and lessons they could use to teach lessons about modern-day antisemitism.

“Aaron has made a huge impact by raising awareness about Holocaust texts and perspectives in our teaching and learning communities,” says Curriculum Specialist Dr. Jill Williams of Westerville City Schools. “He brings this amazing genuine openness to intersectional conversations that makes people really want to jump in and learn more, no matter where they are with their understanding.”

This year’s other recipients of the Difference Makers Award include business executives, community volunteers, and public school and college educators. One honoree is a Holocaust survivor who has served on several civic and Jewish organizations and who has shared his personal story throughout Columbus.

“While their contributions may differ in scope and focus, our 18 Difference Makers share a common thread: The unwavering belief that they can effect change, one step at a time,” asserts Keith Adelstein, President and CEO of the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company. “Through their persistent efforts, they not only enhance the lives of those directly touched by their work, but also serve as inspiration for us all, reminding us of the transformative power we each possess,” Adelstein continued.

Aaron earned Bachelor’s degree in Technical Theater, Theater Design and Technology and Secondary Education and Teaching from the University of Maryland in 2006. In a career that spans ten years, he has taught at Westerville North for five of them.

Dani Charbonneau named Massachusetts’ 2023 Teacher of the Year

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English teacher Danielle “Dani” Charbonneau of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

There are many exceptional educators throughout our country who have earned recognition for their work with young people. One of these is Danielle “Dani” Charbonneau, a high school teacher from Massachusetts who has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Dani teaches English and Language Arts and courses in creative writing at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in Oak Bluffs. On her campus, she is the program co-ordinator and a teacher in the alternative program. This program, which serves students in grades 9—12, ensures that students have a school experience that includes a sense of belonging and an understanding of life beyond the island. Part of the program involves a retreat to a nearby Penikese, an uninhabited island, where students experience nature without the distractions of technology, electricity, and indoor bathrooms. Another part of the program includes a fundraiser for Chopped for Charity, a local food bank, and Island Lore Night, where students and community member present historical fiction and spooky stories and excursions to Boston.

As if all this were not enough, Dani also serves as the co-advisor of her school’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, a position she has held since 2018. She also helped create lessons in response to the murder of George Floyd and the resulting protests.

Dani earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Harvard University. She completed the requirements for a second Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from New York University. She earned her Master’s degree in Education Leadership from the University of New England. Before becoming a teacher in 2004, Dani worked as an editor at CBS. In a career as an educator that spans 19 years, she has spent eight of them teaching in Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools.