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Summit County’s Top of the Class Educators Honored at the 2017 Education Celebration

Posted: 11/3/2017

On Oct. 24, Summit County’s Top of the Class educators were recognized at the 2017 Education Celebration at St. George Fellowship Centre in Fairlawn.

This is an annual event where Summit County educators are recognized for making a difference in their students’ lives. During the event, the all-county teaching team, teacher of the year, rookie of the year and lifetime educator are announced.

The educator selected as the 2017 teacher of the year was Jennifer Walls, math teacher, Akron Public School District, and the 2017 rookie of the year selected was Ashlynn Schindler, biology, honors chemistry, media production and communication teacher, Cuyahoga Falls City School District. The lifetime educator award was presented to Russell Chaboudy, superintendent, Coventry Local School District.

“This is a great time for educators to gather and recognize one another for their efforts to provide students with excellent educational experiences,” said Summit ESC’s Superintendent Joe Iacano. “To be selected and recognized at the Education Celebration is a true honor.”

Nominators were asked to choose someone who has shown dedication in the classroom, a commitment to the school system and a desire to go above and beyond for each individual child.

Full-time, kindergarten through grade 12, certified educators who have taught for more than three years could be nominated by their colleagues for the teacher of the year category. Educators who have taught for less than three years could be nominated for the rookie of the year category.

2017 All-County Top of the Class Teaching Team

The 2017 All-County Top of the Class teaching team, which includes all of the educators nominated for teacher of the year, included...

• Jennifer Walls, Akron Public School District
• Michelle Hance, Barberton City School District
• Kirby Harder, Copley-Fairlawn City School District
• Madison Lawson, Coventry Local School District
• Sarah Suboticki, Cuyahoga Falls City School District
• Elizabeth Goodwill, Field Local School District
• Sarah Sears, Green Local School Disrict
• Bethany Hipps, Hudson City School District;
• William (Steve) Schaadt, Manchester Local School District
• Kennan Salzbrenner, Mogadore Local School District
• Rosa Griesinger, Nordonia Hills City School District
• Danielle Perella-Dutton, Norton City School District
• Bridget Comes, Portage Lakes Career Center
• Lynn Dubsky, Revere Local School District
• Justin Corbett, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
• Robert Lane, Springfield Local School District
• Jennifer Verde, Stow-Munroe Falls City School District
• Nick Landi, Summit Educational Service Center
• Cerafina Gotto, Tallmadge City School District
• Rhonda Albers, Twinsburg City School District
• Mark Hassman, Walsh Jesuit High School
• Ty-Ann Gray, Woodridge Local School District.

This year’s event was sponsored by Brennan, Manna & Diamond, Summit Educational Service Center (ESC), Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com, Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board, 98.1 WKDD, Summit Education Initiative, Akron Area Superintendent’s Association, Huntington Bank and Walter Haverfield.

“I would like to extend special congratulations to everyone who was recognized throughout the night,” said Iacano. “The event included an exceptional group of educators who continually go above and beyond for Summit County students. Thank you to the 2017 sponsors for making this night possible.”

2017 - All-County Rookie Teaching Team

• Ashley Pettit- Akron Public Schools
• Jay Austin- Barberton City Schools
• Emily Barger- Copley-Fairlawn City Schools
• Ashlynn Schindler- Cuyahoga Falls City Schools
• Callahan Benedetti- Green Local Schools
• Brittany Amiet- Hudson City Schools
• Laura McEwan- Manchester Local Schools
• Kimberly Kreiner- Mogadore Local Schools
• Gina Kitchen- Nordonia Hills City Schools
• Stephen Seifert- Norton City Schools
• Scott Arnold- Portage Lakes Career Center
• Amy Hiller- Revere Local Schools
• Coen Cobb- St. Vincent- St. Mary High School
• Magdalena Zook- Springfield Local Schools
• Meredith Lowry- Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools
• Brittany Lightel- Tallmadge City Schools
• Jessica York- Twinsburg City Schools
• Amy Rogers- Woodridge Local Schools

2017 - Lifetime Educator Award recipient Russell Chaboudy

View All Photos from the 2017 Education Celebration