We are excited to announce the 2019 Success Academy Excellence Award winners! This award honors faculty and staff across our schools who exemplify the excellence in education to which our entire community strives. This year, the award recognizes 220 faculty and staff members. Their commitment, talent, and hard work are an inspiration to all of us, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to celebrate them. We recognize excellence in the following four categories:
Academic Achievement
The Academic Achievement Award recognizes the teachers who have inspired their scholars to perform at the highest academic level based on academic data and meeting school culture goals. Only lead teachers were eligible.
Growth
The Growth Award recognizes educators who have exhibited the most significant progress in achieving excellence since the start of the school year. Awards are based on either academic and school culture data or observed growth in practice.
ETHOS
The ETHOS Award recognizes school staff who have best demonstrated the Success community’s values: Excellence, Teamwork, Humor, Ownership, and Scholars.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The first year of teaching can be tough, and the Rookie of the Year award recognizes first-year teachers who have embraced the challenge and demonstrated significant growth, based on academic and school culture data or observed practice.
Congratulations to all the 2019 winners. We feel lucky to have you as part of the SA family, inspiring your scholars and serving as role models and leaders for all of us!
To see highlights from our excellence awards winners, click here.
SA Bed-Stuy 1
Denisse Abreu
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Jamila Creswell
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Rhea May
Science Teacher
ETHOS
SA Bed-Stuy 2
Arisleyda Acosta
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Najawa Glover
4th Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Gabi Perez
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Aryn Swan-Ambrose
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Bed-Stuy Middle School
Kazmira Thomas
6th Grade ELA Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Bensonhurst
Amy Diestler
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Amanda Urcia
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Growth
Nicole Walsh
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Jilian Weihs
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Bergen Beach
Elizabeth Amanquah
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Tracy Gaspard
4th Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Victoria Jaunai
4th Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Kelly Passafiume
3rd Grade ICT TeacherGrowth
Danielle Scindian
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Melody Thomas
Community Relations Coordinator
ETHOS
SA Bronx 1
Ameera Badamasi
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Tamika Carrington
Community Relations Manager
ETHOS
Vanessa Gouldbourne
4th Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Christopher Mikulka
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Julia Monro
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Chenelle Seck
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Sharonda Taylor
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Bronx 1 Middle School
Elizabeth Kroll
Education Coordinator
ETHOS
Sheikh Muizz
6th Grade Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
Liz Velez
6th Grade History Teacher
Growth
SA Bronx 2
Adriana Arias
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Molly Balow
2rd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Larson Bodden
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Althea Gordon
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Colleen Haney
Science Teacher
Growth
Momina Manzoor
4th Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Nadienka Morillo
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Academic Achievement
Salome Mota
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Albert Nixon
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Brendan Quinn
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
SA Bronx 2 Middle School
Alexis Fernandez
8th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
Alexandra Franklin
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Jordan Welnetz
6th Grade Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Bronx 3
Karina Parker
4th Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Bronx 3 Middle School
Jo-Marie Aquino
5th Grade Math Teacher
Growth
Chris Carter
6th Grade ELA Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Jalen Hueser
5th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Isabella Kundu
5th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
Lauren Wicker
5th Grade History Teacher
Growth
SA Bronx 4
Fabiani Baez
Kindergarten Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Ronisha Davis
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Wendy Diaz
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Academic Achievement
Evelyn Gonzalez
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Azia Spivey
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
SA Bushwick
Brianna Balady
Community Relations Coordinator
ETHOS
Gianna Diggs
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Jasmine Fermin
Chess Teacher
ETHOS
Jane Oberman
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Growth
Michael Roche
Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Cobble Hill
Lauren Friedman
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Academic Achievement
Colleen Lynch
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
Growth
Samantha Lyons
3rd Grade Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Gina Terracina
Community Relations Manager
ETHOS
SA Crown Heights
Ashley Earl
1st Grade Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Alexis Holzmann
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Erica Thompson
1st Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
SA Ditmas Park Middle School
Farjahan Akhter
5th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Alando McIntyre
Debate Teacher
ETHOS
Michael Sise
6th Grade History Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA East Flatbush Middle School
Benjamin Roth
5th Grade Science TeacherRookie of the Year
Bobbie Spero
5th Grade Science Teacher
ETHOS
SA Far Rockaway
Anisa Bartholomew
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Jenna Nyhus
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Denisse Rivas
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Shauna Spruiell
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Flatbush
Allison Glass
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Erika Johnson
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Yobiel Kelati
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Growth
Yuri Kim
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
Growth
Tasha Mangel
Kindergarten Associate Teacher
Growth
Lucy Watson
1st Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
SA Fort Greene
Magda Diaz
Science Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Danielle Farley
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
Brigid Klarich
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Lily Kravetz
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Chelsea Marone
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Harlem 1
Christian Clark
Dance Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Courtney Cousins
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
Nya Crawford
Community Relations Manager
Growth
Caroline Easton
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
Brandon Gobourne
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Stephanie Henriquez
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Gregory Herman
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Melissa Scatena
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Academic Achievement
Meghan Schuster
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Jasmin Song
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
Growth
SA Harlem 2
Cori Breindel
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Endia Green
Science Associate Teacher
Growth
Nirvana Guzman
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Tony Hackle
Basketball Coach
ETHOS
Brad Landers
Dance Teacher
Growth
SA Harlem 3
Lindsay Anderson
Education Coordinator
ETHOS
SA Harlem 4
Chris Benanti
Volleyball Coach
ETHOS
Christopher Hernandez
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Kaitlyn Lyons
4th Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Aubrey Moore
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Kimberly Picon
Science Teacher
Growth
Darius Rose
4th Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Joanna Scotti
Education Coordinator
ETHOS
Kelsey Shallow
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Brianne Shannon
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Harlem 5
Neried Acosta
Kindergarten ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Kristen Guzman
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Kevin Jackson
4th Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Ashley Richards
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Harlem 6
Ashley Berliner
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Alyssa Castellano-Smith
Theatre Teacher
ETHOS
Jenna Grossman
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Kelly Kinsey
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Nashay Lawton
Operations Coordinator
Growth
Celia Rader
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Harlem East Middle School
Carlos Alvarez
6th Grade Math Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Emma Benson-Xu
7th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Kenya Burton
5th Grade Science Teacher
ETHOS
Amdy Fall
6th Grade Math Teacher
Growth
Drew Kingman
8th Grade Math Teacher
ETHOS
Anna Molokotina
5th Grade Math Teacher
Academic Achievement
Lisa Pellegrino
7th Grade ELA Teacher
ETHOS
Inty Ramirez
5th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Matthew Relyea
8th Grade History Teacher
ETHOS
Laura Rivas
5th Grade Math Teacher
Growth
Kristen Suarez
6th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
SA Harlem North Central Middle School
Saquana Cameron-Alston
7th Grade ELA Teacher
ETHOS
Olivia Tomaszewski
6th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
SA Harlem North West Middle School
Diona Phoenix
Operations Coordinator
ETHOS
Monica Richard
6th Grade Math Teacher
ETHOS
Jabbar Richardson
Sports Coach
ETHOS
Jessica Roth
8th Grade Math Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Nathaniel Walcott
6th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Brandon Ward
7th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
SA Harlem West Middle School
Dorothy Altner
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Diana Annello
8th Grade History Teacher
Growth
Cori Bonaddio
8th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
Brandon Dinklage
Theatre Teacher
ETHOS
Joe Hill
Operations Manager
ETHOS
Minji Kim
6th Grade Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Ersilia Melchiorre
7th Grade History Teacher
Growth
JP Phillips
Debate Teacher
ETHOS
Makeda Sutherland
Executive Assistant
ETHOS
SA Hell’s Kitchen
Ayla Allen
Community Relations Coordinator
ETHOS
Katie Parker
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA High School of the Liberal Arts
Mary Goebel
Music Teacher
ETHOS
Amanda Levy
History Teacher
Academic Achievement
Nick McNiff
College Counselor
Growth
Ellie Toll
Math Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Hudson Yards
Carleigh Antico
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Babak Javdan
Executive Assistant
ETHOS
Rachel Johnson
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Shea Woodard
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Hudson Yards Middle School
Wilson Baer
7th Grade ELA Teacher
ETHOS
Sierra Gratale
5th Grade Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
Sade Johnson
6th Grade Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Elizabeth Pates
5th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
SA Lafayette Middle School
India Knight
5th Grade ELA Teacher
Growth
Gillian Ricci
Art Teacher
ETHOS
Colby Wagenbach
Acting 5th Grade History Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Midtown West Middle School
Stephanie Ferreira
5th Grade Math Teacher
Academic Achievement
Virginia Holmes
8th Grade ELA Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Tara Kickel
7th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Tanisha Millan
7th Grade ELA Teacher
ETHOS
Patrick O’Dowd
5th Grade History Teacher
Growth
Kate Prince
7th Grade Science Associate Teacher
ETHOS
Anthony Randon
5th Grade Math Teacher
Academic Achievement
Abbey Santoro
5th Grade History Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Myrtle Middle School
Peter Barnaby
7th Grade Science Teacher
Growth
Alex Bowser
7th Grade History Teacher
Academic Achievement
Amira Cohan
6th Grade Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Anna Houseman
5th Grade Math Teacher
Growth
Khasi-Marc Jamieson
5th Grade Math Teacher
Growth
Lindsay Nixon
Operations Coordinator
ETHOS
SA Prospect Heights
Kathryn Aguilo
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Kristina Loy
Theatre Teacher
Growth
Abbey MacLachlan
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Kirsten North
4th Grade ICT Teacher
ETHOS
Robert Smith
Community Relations Coordinator
ETHOS
Samson Sosanya
Science Teacher
Growth
SA Queens 1 Middle School
Nicholas Chin
5th Grade Associate Teacher
ETHOS
Maria McCrann
5th Grade History Teacher
Growth
Alyssa White
5th Grade Math Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Rosedale
Andrew Bertram
Community Relations Coordinator
ETHOS
Caitlin Flaherty
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Joshua Gerstein
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Growth
Taylor Gilleeny
1st Grade Associate Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Jennifer Hogan
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Christina Jorgensen
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Priscilla Liberatos
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Terianne Watler
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Growth
SA South Jamaica
Nancy Martinez
Science Teacher
Growth
Derek Santo
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Jessica Schilling
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
SA Springfield Gardens
Jasmine Graves
3rd Grade Lead Teacher
ETHOS
Sophie Herzing
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Union Square
Rebecca Gottfried
4th Grade Lead Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Joelle Karlitz
1st Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
Jasmine Marrero
Community Relations Manager
ETHOS
Taylor Newman
4th Grade 12:1:1 Lead Teacher
Growth
SA Upper West
Kayla Andrews
Community Relations Coordinator
Growth
Geena Gurman
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Caitlin Kelly
Science Teacher
ETHOS
Raven Smith-Parris
Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
SA Washington Heights
Natasha Becker
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Beandys De Los Santos
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Growth
Allison Gillen
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Growth
Kara Hammond
Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Kimberly Kerr
Science Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Carolyn Konopka
2nd Grade ICT Teacher
Academic Achievement
SA Williamsburg
Patrick Greaney
Science Teacher
Growth
Ashley Lauture
School Psychologist
ETHOS
Allison Locker
3rd Grade ICT Teacher
Rookie of the Year
Kimberly Melhado
Art Teacher
ETHOS
Zaire Peoples
Community Relations Coordinator
Growth
Shareena Sainvil
Science Teacher
Academic Achievement
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