The Teacher Excellence Foundation, which annually awards thousands of dollars to top teachers throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, has announced its 60 "teachers of distinction" and 100 Finalists for the 2002 Teacher Excellence Award. The top awards will be presented April 29 at the annual Celebration of Teaching Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Downtown.
Each teacher of distinction will receive $300 and be eligible to vie for the top awards: four silver awards of $2,500 each, two gold awards of $5,000 each and the $20,000 Robert F. Wolf Award. All finalists and teachers of distinction will receive crystal trophies.
The honored teachers, by district, are:
Albert Gallatin School District: Teacher of distinction, Linda Moore. Finalists: Jean Landman, Richard Russo.
Allegheny Intermediate Unit: Teacher of Distinction: Ann Dixon. Finalists: Yvonne Plowey, Barb Zygowski
Allegheny Valley School District: Teacher of Distinction: Catherine Restauri. Finalists: Kelly DiPalma, Karen Furyk, John McDermott, Mary Theresa Muto, Jayne Shelton.
Avonworth School District: Teachers of Distinction: Elaine Barron, Harold Deiss. Finalist: Beth Williams.
Baldwin-Whitehall School District: Teachers of Distinction: Harry Fry III, Jeffrey M. Taylor. Finalists: Anthony Loeffler, Linda Schaffer, Robert Scherrer, Shannon Varley.
Bethel Park School District: Teacher of Distinction: Cynthia Buckley. Finalist: Betty L. Francis.
Blackhawk School District: Teacher of Distinction: Julian Underwood. Finalist: Kenneth Marlovits.
Burrell School District: Teacher of Distinction: Gerry Daher. Finalist: Louise Steinhauser.
Canon-McMillan School District: Teacher of Distinction: Jacquelyn Walsh. Finalist: Courtney Courie.
Center School District: Teacher of Distinction: Anita Flasco. Finalist: Kyra Pucevich.
Chartiers-Houston School District: Teacher of Distinction: Stan Block. Finalist: Gary Popiolkowski.
Deer Lakes School District: Teachers of Distinction: Mary Ann Goldbach, Patricia Henry, Jacqueline Jaros. Finalists: Charlene Fortun, Richard Fularz, Donna Howells, Arlene Miller, Sandra Miller.
Diocese of Greensburg: Teacher of Distinction: Carole Gallagher. Finalist: Rita Ann Sampsell.
Fox Chapel Area School District: Teacher of Distinction: Sallie Peck. Finalists: Loren Holt, Peggy Perdue.
Hempfield School District: Teacher of Distinction: Linda Berk. Finalists: Marylyn Korinko, Jo Ellen Numerick, Mary Spoonhoward.
Highlands School District: Teachers of Distinction: Lorraine Smith, Cheryl Sober. Finalists: Joseph Bolla, Cathy Boyer, Karen Davidek, Janet McCurdy, Rose Lynn Stanzione, Vicki Uhrinek.
Keystone Oaks School District: Teacher of Distinction: Thomas Todd. Finalists: Nancy Karras, Tricia Kreitzer.
Montour School District: Teacher of Distinction: Christina Frank. Finalist: John Carney.
Mt. Lebanon School District: Teacher of Distinction: Robert S. Rosen. Finalist: Ron Schreiner.
New Brighton School District: Teacher of Distinction: Rhonda Ficca. Finalist: Kathy Tucci.
North Allegheny School District: Teachers of Distinction: Kathy Holland, Theresa Klein, Lexa Mays-Poulakos. Finalists: Sharon Blakely, Beth Frisco, Jeanne Giampetro, Merry Ann Houser, Daniel Kralik, Bill McClelland, Nancy McKnight, Christina Pagnotto, Chris Panos, James Sloan, Linda Spitznagel, Krista Tozier, Robert Will, Barbara Zaun.
North Hills School District: Teachers of Distinction: Michael Bishop, Jeffrey Lucas. Finalist: Mary Frances Drake.
Peters Township School District: Teachers of Distinction: Robert Dell, Christina Hareza, Patricia Harris, David Kuhn, Lora O'Brien. Finalists: Betty Dourlain, Sherry Hamilton, David Karp, Deborah Kendrick, Sandra McWilliams, Virginia Mickitsch, Maria Piatt, Kathie Sekely, Barry Wood.
Pittsburgh Public Schools: Teachers of Distinction: Kathleen Gensure, Deneen Skalniak, Lydia Williamson. Finalists: Kenneth Adams, Susan Dolansky, Melissa Haas, Jacqueline Miles, Robert Wesolowski.
Pine-Richland School District : Teachers of Distinction: Vicki Bresnan, Thomas Joyce, Patricia Schleiden. Finalists: Jeffrey Byko, Judith Eakin, Deborah Lokay, Kristy Rush, Mary Anne Sanders, Michelle Switala.
Plum Borough School District: Teacher of Distinction: Brenda Griffith. Finalist: Evelyn Pferdehirt.
Quaker Valley School District: Teacher of Distinction: Stephen Moxie. Finalists: Jeffrey Andrews, Claudia Balach.
Riverview School District: Teacher of Distinction: Frank Semper. Finalist: Carolyn Cicero.
Shaler Area School District: Teacher of Distinction: Charles Rockwell. Finalists: David Fortun, Jane Foster, Melissa McConville, John Mitchell.
South Allegheny School District: Teacher of Distinction: Deidre Manack.
South Butler County School District: Teacher of Distinction: Jamie Schweinberg. Finalist: Linda Hess.
South Fayette School District: Teacher of Distinction: Bernard Mazzocco. Finalists: Christine Kosik, Jodi-Lynn Lyscik.
South Side Area School District: Teacher of Distinction: Karen Boyd. Finalist: Rebecca Beckert.
Steel Valley School District: Teacher of Distinction: Virginia A. Nicholson. Finalist: Toni Besh.
Sto-Rox School District: Teacher of Distinction: Virginia Musmanno. Finalist: David Condeluci.
Trinity School District: Teachers of Distinction: Michelle Ostrosky, Maureen Witting. Finalists: Debra Coss, John Gough.
Upper St. Clair School District: Teacher of Distinction: Dominick Frollini. Finalists: Pam Dillie, Dennis Snyder.
Washington School District: Teacher of Distinction: Adele Smith. Finalist: Shawn Arent.
Woodland Hills School District: Teachers of Distinction: Donna Bayless, Phyllis C. Comer, Margaret Puhalla, Jo Smerdel, Joanne Thomas. Finalists: Phyllis M. Friend, Kelley Nolen, Gregory Savko, Deborah Taylor.
