UNC School of Education

Alumni News

2009

Gwen Johnson (M.S.A. ’03) named Durham Public Schools’ principal of the year

Nov. 16, 2009

Gwen Johnson, principal of Mangum Elementary School in Bahama, N.C., was chosen as Durham Public Schools’ 2009-2010 Principal of the Year.

Amy Singer (M.Ed. ’05) selected as NCSCA Emerging Leader

Nov. 16, 2009

Amy Singer has been selected as one of five Emerging Leaders for 2009-2010, named by the North Carolina School Counselor Association.

Rebecca Atkins (M.Ed. ’03) named North Carolina’s elementary school counselor of the year

Nov. 11, 2009

Rebecca Atkins of Millbrook Elementary School in Raleigh, N.C., was named North Carolina’s 2009-2010 Elementary School Counselor of the Year by the North Carolina School Counselor Association (NCSCA).

Matt Sears (M.A.T. ’04) heads invention grant for “green” project at local high school

Nov. 9, 2009

Durham’s Hillside New Tech High School was recently awarded a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant of $7,000 to develop a residential green roofing system.

School of Education presents annual alumni awards

Oct. 6, 2009

The School of Education recognized the accomplishments of five outstanding educators at the 10th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony Sept. 26, 2009.

Steve Amendum (Ph.D. ’08) recognized with Promising Researcher Award

Sept. 17, 2009

Steve Amendum was recently selected as the 2009 recipient of the Promising Researcher Award from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Latin teacher Amy Rechtiene (M.A.T. ’08) named Google Earth “Top Educator”

July 27, 2009

Amy Rechtiene, who teaches Latin at Lake Norman High School in Iredell-Statesville Schools, N.C., recently won a national 3D curriculum competition sponsored by Google Earth. She was one of three winners nationwide at the high school level.

Retired teacher Johnson Harriss (M.A.T. ’72) is honored by former students

June 15, 2009

Dozens of former students recently came to Greensboro, N.C., from around the country to honor Johnson Harriss, a beloved teacher at Aycock Middle School and later at Page High School, who retired in 2002.

Amy Farris (M.Ed. ’09) named 2009 outstanding graduate of School Counseling program

June 12, 2009

Amy Farris has received the 2009 W.D. Perry Award, recognizing her as the most outstanding student graduating from the School Counseling M.Ed. program this year.

Counseling alumni, friends hold reunion, honor John Galassi, Duane Brown

May 14, 2009

Alumni and friends of the School of Education’s School Counseling, Guidance and Counseling, and Counseling Psychology Programs gathered at the William and Ida Friday Center on April 25 to reunite and honor the work of Duane Brown and John Galassi.

Karen Kaczman (Middle Grades Lateral Entry ’08) selected to attend Yellowstone Ecology Institute

April 14, 2009

Karen Kaczman, who earned her Middle Grades Licensure from the School of Education in 2008, has been selected by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to attend its Educators of Excellence Yellowstone Ecology Institute in June 2009.

Steve Amendum (Ph.D. ’08) receives national recognition for his dissertation

April 14, 2009

Steve Amendum was recently named one of the 10 finalists for the International Reading Association’s (IRA) Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award.

Paula Myrick Short (M.Ed. ’70, Ph.D. ’83) receives international educational leadership award

April 13, 2009

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Lourdes Riera Winters (A.B.Ed. ’73) awarded Iredell-Statesville Schools Teacher of the Year

April 9, 2009

Lourdes Winters was recently named the Iredell-Statesville Schools Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to the national champions, the UNC Tar Heels men’s basketball team led by our alumnus, Coach Roy Williams!

April 7, 2009

Congratulations to the 2009 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball champions, the Carolina Tar Heels! Led by our alumnus, head coach Roy Williams (A.B.Ed. ’72, M.A.T. ’73), the UNC Tar Heels defeated Michigan State in the championship game on Monday, April 6 to capture their fifth NCAA title.

Congratulations and best of luck to two of our alumni teachers who are competing in Final Fours!

April 6, 2009

Cindi Rigsbee (A.B.Ed. ’79, M.Ed. ’03) is one of the Final Four candidates for the 2009 National Teacher of the Year.

Head coach Roy Williams (A.B.Ed. ’72, M.A.T. ’73) is leading the UNC Tar Heels men’s basketball team in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.