CVSD Special Educators & Team Honored

CVSD is proud to announce that several special education team members have been honored by the Vermont Council of Special Education Administrators (VCSEA) as the 2021 recipients of the team and individual Golden Apple Award. The Golden Apple Award is presented each spring to one individual and one team who has shown exemplary advocacy in support of students with disabilities. The Award honors professionals who:

• Focus on student strengths in the development of programs or activities that maximize students’ potential
• Actively create opportunities for students with disabilities to be fully engaged as members of the school community
• Participate and contribute to a collaborative team process
• Demonstrate resourcefulness in meeting student needs, and
• Demonstrate compassion and respect for students, family members, and all members of the school community.

Sarah Sargent, Shelburne Community School Special Educator, was nominated by her teaching team for her professionalism and masterful skill at creating opportunities for all students to be meaningfully engaged on their team. Her nominators shared that "In a year fraught with uncertainty, anxiety, and more complexity than ever, I cannot think of another educator who has worked as tirelessly as Sarah. Her passion for special education and inclusivity, her belief in all of her students, and the support she provides our team and our school deserve recognition."

 

Sarah and her teaching team at today's recognition ceremony

Sarah and Peggy-Sue Van Nostrand, SCS Director of Special Ed
and Meagan Roy, CVSD Director of Student Support Services.

The CVSD Consultation Team was also honored with the Golden Apple Award. The team includes Jennifer Randall, Cindy Cole, Katey Wisse, Janelle Moynihan, Tracy Titchner, and Ali Karmosky. This is a multidisciplinary group of professionals who provide individual team consultation, faculty and staff training, and systems-level analysis to all Champlain Valley Schools to support students with significant and/or low-incidence disabilities. From the nomination: "Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege to work with countless professionals who make a difference each and every day in the lives of their students; [this] team of professionals stand out as the epitome of what your committee is seeking to recognize with the Golden Apple Award. As a result of their leadership and expertise, we have countless students whose programming is more fully engaged in the classroom and whose teams work more collaboratively together."

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition and thank you all for the work you do to serve and support CVSD students!