Springfield honors teachers with Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching awards

Springfield Public Schools recognized dozens of teachers at a Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching awards segment during the school committee meeting. The awards, supported by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, were presented to classroom teachers, specialists and early-career educators across the district.

Superintendent Sonia Denault, who could not attend in person, recorded a message congratulating award recipients and invoking the late educator Rita Pierson’s teaching philosophy: "Every child deserves a champion," Denault said in the recorded remarks. The superintendent’s remarks and a video highlighting the honorees were shown to the committee and audience.

Committee members and district leaders called the segment a highlight of the evening. Doctor Balch (presenting) and Mayor Sarno thanked the honorees and organizers Kate Asher and Rachel Miller for arranging the annual recognition and banquet. The meeting named individual awardees from across elementary and secondary schools; among those invited to the dais or recognized by name were Gina Lamoreaux (Elias Brookings School), Stephanie Roscoe (Elias Brookings), Tricia Clark (Freeman Elementary), Anne Carmichael (Dorman Elementary), Jared Leone (Duggan Academy), Lisa Gagnon (Liberty Elementary), Megan Kisselback (Lincoln Elementary), and others from Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Central High School and several elementary schools.

The meeting emphasized the district’s appreciation for educators’ work and said the honorees will attend a banquet in May. Committee members spoke of teachers’ long-term impact on students and thanked organizers for the event.

No committee action was required for the awards; the segment served as formal recognition during the published meeting agenda.