The Pioneer Valley will once again honor outstanding teachers in thirty-eight school communities in Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire Counties. One hundred forty-four teachers will be honored for their professionalism, their excellence in teaching practices, professional development, demonstration of collaboration and cooperation, and reaching above and beyond the required teaching job. The program has honored almost 900 teachers over the course of its seven years in existence.
Sponsors of the program in Hampshire and Franklin Counties include: Big Y Foods, The Channing Bete company, Country Bank, The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, Log Cabin Banquet and meeting House, Meyers Bros & Kalicka, Southworth Paper Company, the Republican, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, STCU Credit Union, Westfield State College Foundation, The Workers Credit Union of Athol, Wright Builders of Northampton, and the local community YMCAs.

Four teachers from the Northampton Public Schools District will receive the awards:

°         Ms. Jennifer Reed teaches in the Integrated Preschool at Jackson Street School, this is her first year as a teacher. She comes to the profession after working with women and children who have experienced domestic violence, and continues to work as a volunteer in the community.

°         Ms. Patricia Erikson is retiring from her position as a first grade teacher at R.K. Finn Ryan Road School after serving in the district for 34 years. She taught at Ryan Road for all but one of those years. Ms. Erikson also serves as a Math Coach at Ryan Road School.

°         Ms. Kathy Adamcik teaches 6^th grade and is the Math Department Chair at the JFK Middle School. Ms. Adamcik serves on the School Council, and is the Yearbook Advisor. She helps organize and chaperone school dances, and attends all possible school events. She has taught in the district for 35 years.

°         Ms. Susan Biggs teaches Science at Northampton High School, where she has been since 2000. She teaches AP and Honors Chemistry and serves as Department Chair. She brings her students to the elementary schools to help teach science.

The teachers will be recognized at the Northampton School Committee Meeting on Thursday, April 16 and honored at the awards dinner on May 7. Each teacher will receive 2 tickets to the celebratory event, a check for $600.00, an engraved plaque, a membership to a local YMCA for three months, a gift certificate from Westfield State College to be used for graduate or undergraduate work or a workshop at the CENTER, an invitation from WGBY to take an online course with credit from Westfield State College, a letter of commendation from the Governor, and other gifts.