Mary of Nazareth Teacher Selected As Golden Apple Award Recipient

A teacher is one of five Montgomery County recipients of the Golden Apple Award, according to the Gazette.

Kathy Luongo, the Darnestown school's resource director, was selected for the award for excellence in teaching and commitment to Catholic education.

Mary of Nazareth Principal Michael Friel told Patch Luongo was more than deserving of the honor.

"Kathy is a huge advocate for children and believes every child has the right to learn," Friel wrote in an email. "Since arriving at Mary of Nazareth School in 2006, our resource department has been transformed. Students are being supported appropriately in the classroom and parents have a dependable resource they can lean on for guidance. Working in small groups, Mrs. Luongo leads her students on a journey of self-awareness and skill development that facilitates greater success in the classroom.   

"Mrs. Luongo is dedicated, hard-working, and diligent. Kathy never hesitates to step up to volunteer for faculty committees and wholeheartedly supports the mission of the school. She has been a speaker at faculty meetings and at Archdiocesan resource meetings, sharing her expertise in reading and providing accommodations to students. Her willingness to grow professionally is consistently demonstrated by the number of workshops she attends and the amount of professional reading she does. Kathy Luongo is an important resource not only in our building, but in the Archdiocese as a whole."

According to The Gazette, 10 teachers are given the Golden Apple Award annually by the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Washington. They were nominated by their colleagues, parents of students and students.