Nine educators from the Locust Valley Central School District were granted tenure during a ceremony at Locust Valley High School on Oct. 14.
The honorees are Ashley Denunzio, Michael Gilbert, Jillian Hoey, Julianne Kalberer, Matthew Kirschenheiter, Erin Leibowitz, Ken Packert, Nicole Santoli and Robin Silverstein.
“Tonight, we celebrate a distinguished group of educators whose passion and commitment continue to elevate our entire Falcon Family. Tenure is a powerful mark of sustained excellence and an unwavering dedication to our students. Congratulations to each of our recipients on this outstanding and well-deserved milestone,” said Dr. Kristen Turnow.
In recent interviews, the educators reflected on the experiences that have shaped their work, from the lessons their students teach them to the relationships that make Locust Valley a meaningful place to build a career.
For special education teacher Ashley Denunzio, the district’s sense of community is a highlight of her work.
“I’ve learned from the students here what it means to be part of a community. Since I started, I felt welcomed by the students and really saw how they have such a pride on the Locust Valley community here. It’s one of my favorite parts of being part of this school. The clubs that we have, the school pride. And it’s truly a highlight and something that I learned to really take into every single day working here, is what a true community we have, and how we all work together and collaborate so all of us reach our best.”
Physical education teacher Michael Gilbert finds a powerful lesson in his students’ determination.
“The biggest thing the students have taught me, is that by embracing the idea of perseverance and hard work and determination they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.”
Special education teacher Jillian Hoey values the fresh perspectives her students bring to mathematics.
“My students always teach me that there’s new ways, and new ways of thinking for them of how to understand the math concepts that we’re learning, and they’re actually showing me new ways I didn’t even think of the math sometimes. And I always feel like that’s really exciting, and it allows more communication between us and them.”
For special education teacher Julianne Kalberer, a rewarding part of the job is seeing students feel at ease and eager to learn.
“Students come in with a smile, and they are all ready to work and they feel very comfortable here.”
Special education teacher Matthew Kirschenheiter encourages his students to believe in themselves — and finds that they inspire him to do the same.
“My students have taught me to always believe in myself. I always try to instill in them that they should be believing in themselves, but it’s most important for them to teach me to believe in myself as well.”
Special education teacher Erin Leibowitz sees strong relationships as the foundation for students’ growth.
“In order to learn and to grow, [students] need to feel supported. So building that foundation with them, and getting to know them as learners helps them take risks and feel comfortable in the classroom.”
Reflecting on his years in the district, Kenneth Packert, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, highlighted the opportunity to work with people across the school community.
“I’ve had multiple responsibilities and worked with every different set of people, whether it’s students, parents, teachers, TAs, everybody in different capacities over the years.”
English teacher Nicole Santoli draws inspiration from the distinct experiences and interpretations students bring to their reading.
“My students have taught me to think differently. With literature everyone can understand different aspects of it, and bring your own life experiences to it. It’s been such a pleasure to see how students interpret and exchange ideas with one another that might be different from the way it was originally read.”
For reading teacher Robin Silverstein, the greatest rewards come as students discover their abilities and grow in confidence.
“Seeing the pride and joy in my students’ faces when they realize that they can in fact do the things that we’re working on, and as their skills grow, watching their confidence grow.”