Curley School Teacher Receives Educator of the Year Award

Print More

A Mary E. Curley School teacher was one of several Boston Public School teachers awarded as Educators of the Year by the Boston Public Schools and Boston Teachers Union.

Konstantinos Petmezis, 3rd Grade Teacher at the Mary E. Curley School, with his three children who all attend the Curley.

Third grade and SEI teacher Konstantinos Petmezis was one of six teachers named as Educators of the Year.

"The best thing about teaching is the community. I've been working at The Curley since 2007 and believe that the whole Curley Community deserves an award for what we were able to accomplish last year," said Petmezis to Jamaica Plain News. "It was together that we navigated remote learning and made it through. This award means a lot to me and to my family that supported me throughout the year and every day since."

Awards were also given to paraprofessionals, nurses, and related service providers. Teachers, families, students, community members and others were invited to nominate candidates. More than 400 nominations were received.

“As a BPS mom, Bostonian and Mayor, I am so grateful to our educators for adapting to the unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic,” said Mayor Michelle Wu via press release. “Building the brightest future for the next generation depends on the great work happening in education today. Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you to all the teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals, and other BPS staff whose work is so essential to our city.”

“Our educators have been through a lot over the course of the last two years, but time and time again they continue to show up for our students and their families,” said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. “The winners of this year’s award are examples of the great educators within BPS. They are pillars of their school communities and instrumental parts of the development and growth of their students. I am honored and grateful to have them as part of the Boston Public Schools. I look forward to further celebrating their great contributions to BPS in the coming weeks.”

The 2021 BPS Educator of the Year award winners are:

Related Service Provider
Lucinda Mills — Behavioral Health Services, District Social Worker
Maria Monteiro-Roby — Brighton High School, Guidance Counselor

Nurse
Marta Bausemer — Boston Green Academy
Adalis Henriquez — Josiah Quincy Upper School

Paraprofessional
Juan Diaz — Thomas A. Edison K-8 School
Amy Lucid lnezein — Philbrick Elementary School

Teacher
Langston Peace — Excel High School
Amanda Khatcherian — Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Ta-Tanisha Curry — Josiah Quincy Elementary School
Kimberly Kulasekaran — William E. Carter School
Konstantinos Petmezis — Mary E. Curley School
Cheralyn Pinchem — Boston Latin School

3,060 Views