|
|
 |
Teacher Counselor of the YearTC of the Year: Mary Lynn Pleczkowski was named Teacher Counselor (TC) of the Year. Pleczkowski, a 23 year veteran employee is a curriculum specialist at the Pressley Ridge Day School. She has been a classroom teacher, a music teacher, a fundraiser, a friend-raiser, an advocate for those in need, and a mentor and friend to both students and teachers at the PR Day School, Pittsburgh. The role of being a mentor to other teachers is one that Mary Lynn takes seriously. "I like to help the new teachers that come to the Day School. A lot of these men and women come straight from college, and I am not sure if they know what to expect. But I try to help them realize the importance of their work. Sometimes things are difficult, but working as a team with your peers and being flexible, patient, creative, and thinking outside of the box helps us help the students." Anyone who talks to Mary Lynn about Pressley Ridge quickly realizes how close to her heart she holds the children served by the organization as well as the organization as a whole. "Pressley Ridge is a big part of my life. I try to make connections from Pressley Ridge to the outside community." Although Mary Lynn's day to day role is not primarily in the classroom, she thrives from her interaction with students. Clinton Sickles, music teacher at the Day School and TC of the Month award winner, notes that Mary Lynn not only helps new teachers, she also guides new students and makes them feel comfortable. Clinton explains, "When we accept kids into the program, she is always the first to allow the child to feel at home by showing the child all that is available to him/her at our school. She is sensitive to the feelings of our kids and the anxieties of being a new student at the Day School." Mary Lynn also sees importance in supporting every child that walks through the Pressley Ridge Day School doors. "One thing we always say at the Day School is that out of the 100 students at the school, each staff member has a responsibility to every child. The student might have two classroom teachers, or a speech therapist and two teachers, but every single student's successes, failures, good times and bad, matters to every person who works at the school. These children are part of a community." Mary Lynn truly embodies one of the re-education principles at the heart of Pressley Ridge services, "Communities are Important". The following Pressley Ridge staff were also honored at the dinner and awarded Teacher Counselor of the Month awards: Latoya Thomas- Treatment Foster Care Cleveland, OH Each of the extraordinary staff honored exemplify what it means to be part of Pressley Ridge, an organization that holds its standards high when serving the most vulnerable children in our communities. |
TCs of the MonthThese 12 extraordinary staff exemplify the work that we do and represents the other 1200 Pressley Ridge staff. From these 12 award recipients a TC of the Year is select. TCs of the month must work in a front line position, have regular and ongoing contact with kids and families, and embody Pressley Ridge values and the spirit of Re-ED in their work.
|
