ISLANDIA, N.Y., May 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SchoolMessenger, the trusted platform for school community engagement, recently announced the recipients of the SchoolMessenger Teacher Appreciation Awards. To recognize the many positive impacts on students’ lives, SchoolMessenger and the West Foundation partnered to recognize deserving teachers in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, which was held earlier this month.
SchoolMessenger created two awards to honor educators - the Difference Maker and the Rookie of the Year awards - and invited schools to nominate teachers to win $1,000 to be donated by the West Foundation to the non-profit of their choice.
- The Difference Maker Award recognizes a teacher who has made a significant impact on the lives of students.
- The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes a first-year teacher who has made an immediate impact on improving student outcomes.
Kathy McGarvey, science teacher at St. Thomas of Villanova School in Palatine, IL is the recipient of the Difference Maker Award. Mrs. McGarvey was nominated by Matthew Martino, principal of St. Thomas of Villanova School, who said: “Mrs. McGarvey works hard to get her students what they need to be successful and understands the importance of using real-life applications of science to connect with her students. She is committed to STEM education and is dedicated to all of her students. We appreciate Mrs. McGarvey, and the school is grateful to have her as a teacher.” Mrs. McGarvey has designated St. Thomas of Villanova School as the recipient of her $1,000 award, and the West Foundation is proud to make that donation in her honor.
Abigail Greenberg, music teacher at George Washington Middle School in Ridgewood, NJ is the Rookie of the Year Award recipient. Ms. Greenberg was nominated by Dr. Katie Kashmanian, principal at George Washington Middle School, who said: “Abigail is nothing short of a rockstar. The difference she has made in our program in just 9 months is literally astounding. In fact, more students than ever in my tenure (nearly 20 years) have signed up to stay in the choir for the coming year, even though it is not mandatory after grade 7 - an incredible accomplishment in a program that was slowly fading away.” Ms. Greenberg has designated Ridgewood High School Choir Parents Organization as the recipient of her $1,000 award, and the West Foundation is proud to support the arts by making that donation in her honor.
“Our SchoolMessenger customers and the educators and families they serve are always top-of-mind for us, and the prospect of providing new ways to support them is always rewarding. It’s meaningful for all of us at West to give back – especially to the teachers who make a huge difference in the lives of their students and in the communities they serve,” said Karen Whalen, President of the West Foundation and West Technology Group’s Chief Human Resources Officer.
West Technology Group is committed to corporate social responsibility and continuing efforts to provide charitable support where it is needed most. The goal of the West Foundation is to further health, wellness, and education in the communities in which West staff work, live, and serve customers.
About West
West Technology Group, LLC (“West”) is an innovative, cloud-based, global technology partner to clients around the world. Our solutions connect people and organizations at the right time and in the right ways, making those mission-critical connections more relevant, engaging, and actionable - turning Information to Insight.
West has sales and/or operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. West is controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.
About SchoolMessenger
Tens of thousands of schools in all 50 U.S. states and Canada depend on SchoolMessenger products to achieve their communications goals. Since 1999, school administrators have trusted SchoolMessenger solutions to connect with their parents, staff, and community members. From notifications and websites to digital forms, attendance management, two-way chat messaging and more, SchoolMessenger solutions help school administrators connect with people in multiple languages and on any device.
