PA teacher Sarah Damato earns Outstanding Spec Ed award

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Pennsylvania teacher Sarah Damato has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award from NASET. Photo Credit: Springfield Area Educational Foundation

Many exemplary educators have earned special recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Sarah Damato, a Special Education teacher from Springfield, Pennsylvania. She has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award from the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). The annual award is given to Special Education and inclusion classroom teachers that have been nominated by administrators, colleagues, or parents of students.

Sarah teaches Life Skills courses at Springfield High School. She has taught there since 2019. She also serves as the advisor for the campus Buddies Club, bringing general education students and students with special needs together to participate in activities outside of school. Over 200 students belong to this club. Furthermore, Sarah founded a non-profit called Support a Sport, which gives children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports. At least half of her students have participated in this program. And as if all that were not enough, she is also the Head Coach for the Unified Bocce Club. This year, 36 athletes participated on the team.

In addition to her honors from NASET, Sarah has been named Best Teacher Under the Sun from the local Sun East Federal Credit Union. The award acknowledges outstanding achievements by teachers for their efforts to inspire students to reach beyond their grasp.

Sarah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 2011, an Autism Certificate in 2013, and a Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in research in 2013, all from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She earned a second Master’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Relay Graduate University in 2018. In 2022, she earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.