Elementary Teacher Named District Teacher of Year

Newark Unified School District has named its 2012 Teacher of the Year and Classified Employee of the Year.

The pair – along with 22 other employees – were recognized at Tuesday’s school Board of Education meeting.

Teacher Connie Piserchio was recognized as the district’s top educator and Office Clerk Debbie Platko was named top classified employee of the year.

Superintendent of Schools Dave Marken described the 24 employees as an all-star team.

“All of the people who work for our organization should be honored,” Marken said. “We’re here to celebrate all the hard work of all the people in this organization.”

Marken said he is thankful of all of employees of the district.

The following is a list Newark teachers who were honored:

• Pamela Abbott, Bunker Elementary School
• Gail Stringer, Graham Elementary School
• Gretchen Cava, Kennedy Elementary School
• Connie Piserchio, Lincoln Elementary School
• Michael Stollman, Milani Elementary School
• Ida Lindeman, Musick Elementary School
• Anne Kaffka, Schilling Elementary School
• Maggy Baylon, Snow Elementary School
• Svetlana Petriakova-Kuntz, McGregor Alternative Education Center
• Danielle Villa, Newark Junior High School
• Victoria Arfsten, Newark Memorial High School
• JT Wills, Whiteford Preschool

The following is a list of Newark Unified classified employees who were honored:

• Jodi Croce, Bunker
• Cathy Souza, District Office
• Maria Silva, Graham
• Debbie Platko, Kennedy
• Mario Guerrero, McGregor
• Shirley Nagel, Lincoln
• Leilani Hebert, Milani
• Bertha Aguilar, Musick
• Gabino Bermudez, Maintenance, Operation and Transportation (District)
• Penny Samorano, Newark Junior High
• Edna Jones, Newark Memorial
• Maria Alarcon, Schilling
• Delia DeAnda, Snow
• Nikou Vossoughi, Whiteford

Piserchio will go on to be honored by the Alameda County Office of Education and vie for the title of Alameda County Teacher of the Year in the fall.