Locust Valley Middle School teacher Kathleen Reilly has been named Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year by the Long Island Council for the Social Studies. The honor is bestowed upon a teacher who has demonstrated knowledge of social studies content and current social studies issues and has demonstrated effective and inspiring social studies teaching, including the ability to convey the importance and vitality of social studies to his or her students.
Ms. Reilly was nominated by Bryan Sarandrea, Coordinator for Social Studies and Business, K-12. Recommendations from her colleagues and statements by her former students were also shared with the Long Island Council for the Social Studies and considered in their decision to name her as Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Sarandrea said that Ms. Reilly is most deserving of this recognition. “This award recognizes an outstanding social studies teacher who inspires others, and Kathy Reilly epitomizes those characteristics,” he said. “Her passion for history has enriched the experiences of countless students, and we are lucky to have her as a part of our school community.”
Middle School Principal H. Howard Hogan said that Ms. Reilly gets her students excited about social studies, teaching the curriculum with contagious enthusiasm. “This is a teacher who shows us every day that she is meant for this role,” he said. “She is an expert on the subject she teaches and shares her passion for social studies in a manner that embraces discourse and reflection."
The Long Island Council for the Social Studies plans to recognize Ms. Reilly at a ceremony this fall and has invited her to be a presenter at an upcoming conference.
Congratulations to Ms. Reilly on this extraordinary accomplishment! The Locust Valley school community is grateful for the dedication this outstanding teacher has had toward her students and colleagues for the past 20 years.