Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Kaishian announced that Todd Elementary School teachers Shelley Graham and Stephanie Grace are Briarcliff Manor School’s 2019 Teachers of the Year.
“This year marks the first time that an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) team has been awarded the designation, placing a unique spotlight on the hard work and dedication necessary to be part of an ICT classroom,” said Kaishian.
“Their unique partnership requires them not only to work in the same classroom, but also plan together to address the needs of all students with a variety of backgrounds, learning styles and abilities,” Todd Principal Colleen Mangan-O’Neill explained. Graham’s focus is general education; Grace’s is on special education.
Graham and Grace open their classrooms to share best practices, authentic learning unit lessons, and new technology with Briarcliff colleagues as well as those outside the district. Through the lab-class experience they model how to engage children in interesting, meaningful, and challenging work while differentiating for a wide range of learning styles and abilities.
Mangan-O’Neill continued, “Most impressive to me is the great pleasure they take in helping children find joy in their accomplishments and in practicing resilience, persistence, and problem solving when they struggle.” She credits both as “outstanding educators… dedicated to the improvement and achievement of all students.”
