Eastern Instructor Is New Teacher Of The Year By PA Tech Ed Assoc

WILLOW GROVE, PA — A local man has been recognized for his achievements thus far in the field of technical education.

Michael Refsnider, who is the networking and cybersecurity instructor at Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, has been named New Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association for Career and Technical Education.

The award recognizes career and technical education teachers with three to five years of experience who have made “significant contributions toward innovative and unique career and technical education programs and shown a professional commitment early in their careers,” according to a news release from Eastern announcing the recognition.

Eastern says that this award is only given out to one Pennsylvania teacher per year.

“Mr Refsnider started his teaching career at EASTERN 6 months before the pandemic closed schools and significantly changed the way we teach, work, and learn,” Cathleen Plesnarski, Eastern’s executive director, said in a statement. “Mr. Refsnider immediately went from new teacher to mentor in a matter of minutes. He was a lead teacher in implementing a new student information system, implementing online learning, and providing overall technology support to peers.”

Refsnider, who has an IT background, said the most challenging aspect of transitioning to teaching from industry was the unknown, according to Eastern.

“My second year was much tougher than my first with all of the changes and the multiple cohorts of students,” Refsnider said in a statement. “I just welcomed change and took things one day at a time.”

Refsnider said his advice to any new teacher would be to find the wisdom in veteran instructors and utilize that wisdom to one’s advantage.

“Also, with anything new, you need to embrace change and understand you are going to make mistakes,” he stated. “The key is to learn from them.”

Eastern Center for Arts and Technology serves students who are in public school districts in the Montgomery County communities of Abington, Bryn Athyn, Cheltenham, Hatboro-Horsham, Jenkintown, Lower Moreland, Springfield, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland.

Its campus is in Willow Grove .