School Board Honors Top 2011 Scholars and Retiring Teachers

The  Board of Education Thursday night honored its two top scholars at Cheshire High School and said good-bye to retiring educators logging a combined 491 years of teaching in the school district.

The school board presented plaques to Class of 2011 Valedictorian Audrey Dee Zhang and the parents of Salutatorian Brendan William Pier.  Pier, who is captain of the tennis team, was competing in a match and could not attend the meeting.

Cheshire High School Principal Kevin Ryan described Pier, who is attending Boston College in the fall, as “a model student and an inspiration to his peers.” He said Zhang, who is attending Harvard College, “defines the word scholar."

Zhang said she always strove to work hard and do her best while in high school. “I wasn’t really aiming for this but it’s exciting to be recognized,” she said after receiving her award.

Superintendent of Schools Greg Florio joked that he will be glad to see Pier graduate. “When Brendan was in sixth grade he beat me in ping pong so bad I haven’t been able to live it down,” Florio said.

Both graduating seniors boast a long list of honors and awards. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Pier is vice president of the senior class, a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and was a three-time member of the All SCC Academic Team for tennis.

Among Zhang’s numerous honors is a “Perfect Paper” distinction on the National Latin Exam. She is also a musician who plays piano and is the Principal Clarinet for the Cheshire High School Symphony Orchestra.  As secretary of the Young Democrats, she has worked on several state and national political campaigns.

The school board also recognized 18 teachers and Safety and Transportation Coordinator Sharon L. Speed, who are retiring. Speed has worked in the Cheshire school system for 29 years, serving as the transportation coordinator since 1989.

The retiring teachers include: Highland School teachers Karen Berk,  Jaquelin C. Devlin, Beverly Jurkiewicz, Deborah Pinkus and Michael Russo and guidance counselor Andrea Chorney; Chapman School teacher Linda Buckley; Doolittle School teachers Barbara Jarvis and Susan Kelly and guidance counselor Mark Kaplan; Darcey School teacher Judith Testa; Dodd Middle School teachers Elisabeth Bossoli, Janet Farrar-Royce and Sherry Stekloff; and Cheshire High School teachers Faith Brill, Patricia D. Fairwood, Ann Marie Mahanna and Elaine
Quicquaro.

The school board offered a retirement incentive to teachers as part of a contract re-negotiation last month aimed at balancing next year’s school budget.

In other business, the school board unanimously approved the
purchase of 60 new high school Chemistry textbooks at a cost of $9,438.