Pocono Mountain School District earned three Excellence in Education Awards from the Colonial Intermediate Unit-20.
The District received three of the six Excellence awards available to participating school districts in the IU-20. The IU-20 also presents one excellence in education award to a non-school entity that is committed to supporting efforts of public schools.
Pocono Mountain School District received the following awards:
- 2008 Excellence in Education Award, Category 1, for Promoting Appreciation for Public Art through the School Community’s Experience of Saving Public Sculpture. The Colonial Alliance presents this award to educational programs that take creative approaches toward providing highly effective teaching and leading opportunities, according to the award criteria. Pocono Mountain received this award for its efforts to relocate and restore the sculpture, Tension. Linda Danges, an art teacher at Pocono Elementary Center, was instrumental in the success of this project and made Tension an excellent learning tool for art students and for cross-curricular studies.
2008 Excellence in Education Award, Category 2, for the Adult English as a Second Language Program. The Colonial Alliance presents Category 2 awards for education programs or activities that are built around active engagement of parents, families and/or the community in school efforts that strengthen or enhance student performance and school success, according to the award criteria. Pocono Mountain received this award for implementing a new adult ESL program at Clear Run Elementary Center as an extension of their ESL Home School Connection Program. Michele Mascia, Evelyn Casablanca, Anna Gorritz and Karyn Yarashas were instrumental in the success of this new initiative.
- 2008 Excellence in Education Award, Category 2, for Rising Above Obstacles Day. Pocono Mountain School District hosted its first Rising Above Obstacles Day in 2007. The idea for the event came from meetings of the Pocono Mountain’s Special Education Advisory Council. Rising Above Obstacles was a day of sessions and informational resources for anyone interested in learning about students with special needs including physical, mental, emotional and cognitive limitations. More than 200 people attended the seminars at the 2007 event. Mrs. Betsy Gustafson, the Assistant Superintendent for Special Education; the entire special education department; and the Special Education Advisory Council were instrumental in the success of this event.
The Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 will formally present these awards to Pocono Mountain School District representatives at an awards dinner on April 29 at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn.