Award for Teaching Excellence at A Very Special Welcome Back Dinner

As Peck’s Head of School Andy Delinsky noted, “The start of every school year is special as we welcome our students back to school and feed off of their energy and excitement. But we’d be kidding ourselves if we said that this was a typical start to a school year. While we’ve celebrated the return of students, the first few days of the year have also been a celebration of what we’ve accomplished as a school.”

 

Delinsky alluded to the mounting success of the school’s recent capital campaign and campus renovations (see Peck Cuts the Ribbon on New Building, New School Year) He expressed his profound gratitude to the Peck community and said, “we have successfully elevated the notion of excellence we so value here at Peck, and for that, we have you, our parents, to thank -- for your generosity, for your patience, for your understanding, and for your consistent support.”

 

While the Welcome Back Dinner attendees began their meal, Delinsky went on to present the “Because They Cared” award to School Nurse Colleen Loughman to honor her 20 years of service to Peck. He then introduced the major award for the evening – the Disciplina Ad Vivendum faculty award for teaching excellence.

 

“At Peck, our objectives are very clear: our graduates will succeed academically and they will have the mindset and moral fiber to lead a productive and principled life. This requires a talented and capable faculty, teachers and staff who are not only interested in who our students are today but also interested in the people they will become tomorrow,” Delinsky said.

 

He then added, “Excellent teachers are always learning, are always working to improve their craft.  They have a sense of urgency because they know their time with students is precious and they want to utilize every moment of it.  They create dynamic and safe learning environments. They embrace the school’s mission. They nurture, guide, and help students reach new heights. Our most distinguished award celebrates a Peck teacher who does all these things.”

 

Delinsky then introduced Peck’s new President of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Subhadra Shah, who revealed the recipient of this year’s honor: Kindergarten teacher Kristin Young. Young, who began at Peck as an associate teacher in 1997, has been teaching in the Peck Lower School for more than 22 years, with over half of those years serving as a lead teacher in the Kindergarten.  

 

Dr. Shah enumerated on Young’s tremendous accomplishments, service, and dedication to her students as well as The Peck community, and she commended her for her personal fortitude in the face of great challenge. “Kristin is an amazing wife, mother, and friend. She is strong. She is driven. She is courageous. Even when she was battling Hodgkin's lymphoma five years ago, she continued to teach and to give everything she could to her students and to the school.  She inspired all of us through her resiliency in the face of adversity. We are a better community because of Kristin Young; our students are better because of Kristin Young, and we are all better because of Kristin Young.”

 

Delinsky closed the formal portion of the evening by emphasizing that The Peck School strives for and continuously celebrates, excellence while steadfastly remaining a place where childhood and children can be honored.