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Awards

Light of Christ

Teacher Recognition Awards
Archdiocese of Hartford
Nominees for the Light of Christ Teacher Recognition Award must have served successfully for at least five years as a teacher in a Catholic elementary school in the Archdiocese of Hartford or in an Archdiocesan high school. In addition, a nominated teacher must possess many of the following qualities:

  • Serves as a role model for students, a witness to Jesus, a dedicated educator, and a responsible citizen whose life is guided by Catholic principles.
  • Consistently demonstrates excellence in teaching and learning evidenced by the following characteristics: high student engagement; integration of technology and 21st century fluencies; the implementation of research based best practices; and cultivates a positive, successful learning environment in the classroom.
  • Consistently seeks to improve the school community and culture in positive ways.
  • Practices a commitment to “Teach as Jesus Did,” effectively integrating Catholic intellectual and moral traditions across curricular areas while modeling Catholic social justice practices in and out of the classroom.
  • Contributes to the viability of the school by exhibiting innovation, enthusiasm, collaboration, and excellence in the classroom.
  • Embraces each student as a child of God, accepting and advocating for every student; sets high expectations for every student; accepts the challenges faced to enable each student to realize their potential and self-worth; and educates each child with genuine respect and dignity.
  • Creates a culture of hope within the classrooms and school.

2025 Light of Christ Recipients: 

  • Cathy Roy, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Nancy Addorisio, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford

  • Elaine Grossomanides, St. Rita School, Hamden

  • Laura Marcucio, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Janet Adler, St. Mary School, Milford

  • Cheryl Anastasio, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven

  • Kimberly Bendtsen, Holy Disciples Catholic School, Oakville

  • Christine Kupcho, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington

  • Susan McGrenery, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Waterbury

  • Daniel Avery, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

2024 Light of Christ Recipients: 

  • Norma Kendrick, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Deborah Dombroski, Saint Matthew School, Forestville

  • Joanna DeMilo-Robinson, Saint Rita School, Hamden

  • John Urbanski, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Emily Nolan, Saint Mary School, Milford

  • Rachel Nott, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Waterbury

  • James Gambardella, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • Kristina Gillespie, Northwest Catholic High School

  • Toni Boynton, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven

  • Ruth Ann Schuler, Saint Gabriel School, Windsor

Award Recognition:

  • Ten teachers will be honored with this award.
  • Each teacher will receive an individual $1000 award in recognition of their professional excellence and ministry.
  • Each teacher will receive a $500 award to be used as determined by the winning teacher for use in his/her classroom.

 

Years of Service

The Office of Catholic Schools would like to recognize the following teachers for their many years of service.

Ten Years of Service:

  • Michael Green, East Shoreline Academy, Branford

  • Donna Pecoraro, East Shoreline Academy, Branford

  • Gina Petano, East Shoreline Academy, Branford

  • Paul Santoro, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford

  • Ashley Albanese, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Jennifer DiMauro, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Elizabeth Kelly, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Lisa Pisani, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Brianna Serio, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Noel Chicoine-Normand, St. Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Kristen Galipault, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Caitlin Keough, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Jennifer Bolard, St. Paul School, Kensington

  • Heather Thibdeau, St. Paul School, Kensington

  • Carrie Bushnell, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Amy Devanney, Saint James School, Manchester

  • Mary Noryk, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Danielle Phelan, Saint James School, Manchester

  • Sarah Poirier, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Curtis Stella, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Jenna Taylor, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Patricia Carroll, Saint Luke Catholic School, Southington

  • Robin Skoglund, St. Luke School, Southington

  • Jeffrey Cahill, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Catherine Caldridge Calendrillo, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Kevin Hadyka, Saint Thomas and Saint Timothy School, West Hartford

  • Jaclyn St. Laurent, Saint Thomas and Saint Timothy School, West Hartford

  • Celina Marquis, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Julia Murphy, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Amy Mattiello, St. Lawrence School, West Haven

  • Katherine Bechard, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield

  • Deborah Sadak, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield

  • Jennifer Schloat, Saint Gabriel School, Windsor

Fifteen Years of Service: 

  • Anne Eheman, Assumption School, Ansonia

  • Cara Moore, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford

  • Dr. Jonathan Gnoza, St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Amy Kundrat, St. Bernard School, Enfield

  • Kathleen McKinney, Saint Bernard School, Enfield

  • Danielle Persichetti, Saint Matthew School, Forestville

  • Joanna Demilo-Robinson, St. Rita School, Hamden

  • Zofia Mailloux, Holy Trinity School, Wallingford

  • Amy Banach, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • Audrey Teeling, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven

  • Ada Sullivan, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield
     

Twenty Years of Service: 

  • Michael Madden, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Michelle Geoffrey, St. Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Cynthia Brennan, St. Rita School, Hamden

  • David Brudz, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Lisa Kirsche, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Laura Marcucio, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Christina Nunes, Saint James School, Manchester

  • Ryan Healey, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • John Urbanski, East Catholic High School, Manchester

  • Diana Robert, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • Sara Avery, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Cory Carlson, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Mark Dodd, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Michael Conlin, St. Gabriel School, Windsor

Twenty-Five Years of Service:

  • Rachel Sosnovich, Assumption School, Ansonia

  • Nicole Truhart, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford

  • Raffaele Aliberti, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Regina Conner, St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

  • Robert Houle, Saint Joseph School, Bristol

  • Alison Julius,  Saint Joseph School, Bristol

  • Ursula Kerr, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Katherine LaFerriere, St. Joseph School, Bristol

  • Lynn Ushchak, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Mary Ellen Kelly, St. Mary-St. Michael, Derby

  • Alicia Mazzone, St. Matthew School, Forestville

  • Denise Gertz, St. Rita School, Hamden

  • Elaine Grossomanides, St. Rita School, Hamden

  • Janet Adler, Saint Mary School, Milford

  • Christine Kupcho, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington

  • Mari Adanosky, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • Kimberly Bendtsen, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • JoAnn Lesnikoski, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

  • Richard Santos, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Paul Fitzpatrick, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Mary Jo Foran, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford

  • Toni Boynton, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven

  • Jennifer Furlong, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield

Thirty Years of Service:

  • Joanne Slot, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire

  • Catherine Massetti, Saint Paul School, Kensington

  • Anna Lombardo, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven

Thirty-Five Years of Service

  • Patricia Martin, St. Bridget School, Manchester

Forty Years of Service:

  • Diane DiBenedetto, Saint James School, Manchester

  • Cheryl Anastasio, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven

  • Marilyn Hubert, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington

  • Patricia Saia, Holy Trinity School, Wallingford

  • James Gambardella, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

Forty-Five Years of Service:

  • Albert Wallace, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
  • Rosanne Whitney, St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol

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