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:
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Cathy Roy, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Nancy Addorisio, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford
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Elaine Grossomanides, St. Rita School, Hamden
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Laura Marcucio, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Janet Adler, St. Mary School, Milford
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Cheryl Anastasio, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven
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Kimberly Bendtsen, Holy Disciples Catholic School, Oakville
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Christine Kupcho, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington
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Susan McGrenery, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Waterbury
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Daniel Avery, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
2024 Light of Christ Recipients:
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Norma Kendrick, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Deborah Dombroski, Saint Matthew School, Forestville
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Joanna DeMilo-Robinson, Saint Rita School, Hamden
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John Urbanski, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Emily Nolan, Saint Mary School, Milford
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Rachel Nott, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Waterbury
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James Gambardella, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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Kristina Gillespie, Northwest Catholic High School
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Toni Boynton, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven
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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:
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Michael Green, East Shoreline Academy, Branford
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Donna Pecoraro, East Shoreline Academy, Branford
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Gina Petano, East Shoreline Academy, Branford
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Paul Santoro, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford
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Ashley Albanese, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Jennifer DiMauro, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Elizabeth Kelly, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Lisa Pisani, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Brianna Serio, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Noel Chicoine-Normand, St. Bridget School, Cheshire
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Kristen Galipault, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire
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Caitlin Keough, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire
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Jennifer Bolard, St. Paul School, Kensington
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Heather Thibdeau, St. Paul School, Kensington
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Carrie Bushnell, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Amy Devanney, Saint James School, Manchester
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Mary Noryk, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Danielle Phelan, Saint James School, Manchester
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Sarah Poirier, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Curtis Stella, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Jenna Taylor, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Patricia Carroll, Saint Luke Catholic School, Southington
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Robin Skoglund, St. Luke School, Southington
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Jeffrey Cahill, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Catherine Caldridge Calendrillo, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Kevin Hadyka, Saint Thomas and Saint Timothy School, West Hartford
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Jaclyn St. Laurent, Saint Thomas and Saint Timothy School, West Hartford
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Celina Marquis, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Julia Murphy, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Amy Mattiello, St. Lawrence School, West Haven
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Katherine Bechard, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield
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Deborah Sadak, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield
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Jennifer Schloat, Saint Gabriel School, Windsor
Fifteen Years of Service:
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Anne Eheman, Assumption School, Ansonia
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Cara Moore, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford
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Dr. Jonathan Gnoza, St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Amy Kundrat, St. Bernard School, Enfield
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Kathleen McKinney, Saint Bernard School, Enfield
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Danielle Persichetti, Saint Matthew School, Forestville
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Joanna Demilo-Robinson, St. Rita School, Hamden
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Zofia Mailloux, Holy Trinity School, Wallingford
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Amy Banach, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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Audrey Teeling, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven
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Ada Sullivan, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield
Twenty Years of Service:
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Michael Madden, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Michelle Geoffrey, St. Bridget School, Cheshire
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Cynthia Brennan, St. Rita School, Hamden
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David Brudz, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Lisa Kirsche, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Laura Marcucio, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Christina Nunes, Saint James School, Manchester
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Ryan Healey, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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John Urbanski, East Catholic High School, Manchester
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Diana Robert, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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Sara Avery, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Cory Carlson, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Mark Dodd, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Michael Conlin, St. Gabriel School, Windsor
Twenty-Five Years of Service:
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Rachel Sosnovich, Assumption School, Ansonia
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Nicole Truhart, East Shoreline Catholic Academy, Branford
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Raffaele Aliberti, Saint Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Regina Conner, St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol
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Robert Houle, Saint Joseph School, Bristol
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Alison Julius, Saint Joseph School, Bristol
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Ursula Kerr, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Katherine LaFerriere, St. Joseph School, Bristol
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Lynn Ushchak, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire
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Mary Ellen Kelly, St. Mary-St. Michael, Derby
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Alicia Mazzone, St. Matthew School, Forestville
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Denise Gertz, St. Rita School, Hamden
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Elaine Grossomanides, St. Rita School, Hamden
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Janet Adler, Saint Mary School, Milford
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Christine Kupcho, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington
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Mari Adanosky, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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Kimberly Bendtsen, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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JoAnn Lesnikoski, The Unified Schools of Saint Mary Magdalen & Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown
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Richard Santos, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Paul Fitzpatrick, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Mary Jo Foran, Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford
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Toni Boynton, Saint Lawrence School, West Haven
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Jennifer Furlong, Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield
Thirty Years of Service:
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Joanne Slot, Saint Bridget School, Cheshire
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Catherine Massetti, Saint Paul School, Kensington
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Anna Lombardo, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven
Thirty-Five Years of Service
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Patricia Martin, St. Bridget School, Manchester
Forty Years of Service:
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Diane DiBenedetto, Saint James School, Manchester
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Cheryl Anastasio, All Saints Catholic Academy, New Haven
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Marilyn Hubert, St. John Paul the Great Academy, Torrington
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Patricia Saia, Holy Trinity School, Wallingford
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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